Thursday, April 28, 2011

Fit for a (royal) wedding?

I do love to wear a hat to a wedding.  It's a dying tradition in Australia (perhaps everywhere) but I have done my bit to keep it alive.  There's just something about a hat that makes an outfit special.  I suppose it's partly because it's so rare to see them at weddings any more, that's what makes you stand out!

I'm seriously considering wearing a hat on Friday as I watch the royal wedding on tv ... I watched Charles and Diana, and Andrew and Sarah, and Edward and Sophie, and even Charles and Camilla.  I will totally be watching William and Kate!  I'm not a monarchist by any means, but there's just something about a royal wedding which totally appeals.  It's probably the frocks.  And the hats.  I'm sure it's the hats!

I made this one a while back, but didn't get a photo shoot for ages, and then I sort of forgot to blog it, until now!  Thanks to my friend Miss J for modelling so fetchingly for me!

Details
Pattern:  Modest Cloche by Jennifer Hansen.  I have long admired this pattern, I do love a cloche hat, and there was just something about this one, perhaps it's the flower, perhaps it's the angle of the project photograph, I don't know.  But I was glad to be able to finally make it!

Yarn:  Silky Merino by Malabrigo, 2 skeins in grey green (a lovely birthday gift from Bells).  This was actually not quite enough - I didn't have enough to do a full flower, so only managed a small one (which also curls somewhat annoyingly), but I think it's ok.  If you did the flower in a different yarn or colour, 2 skeins would definitely be enough!  This is a gorgeous yarn, especially nice to crochet with.

Hook:  2.25mm hook - the pattern suggests a 2.75mm hook - I didn't have one, so tried 3mm (too big), 2.5mm (still too big) and then 2.25mm (just right!).  I'm not actually sure I've ever seen a 2.75mm hook before, I shall have to keep an eye out for one in future.

Time:  30 January 2011 - 21 February 2011.  I actually finished the hat itself on 7 February (crochet is SO QUICK!) but tried to get some extra yarn to ensure I had enough for the full flower (via the ISO thread on the Australian Knitters board on Rav).  None was forthcoming (I knew it'd be a long shot) so I just went ahead with what I had.

And I'm pretty darn happy with it, really!  The cool texture is done by front post stitches, and the "gathered" part on the top of the head is done by varying the stitches on each row (treble at back, then transitioning through half treble to double crochet - I'm using english terminology here!).  Very clever pattern!

Now what hat to wear on Friday...I think it should have some feathers...

19 comments:

LynS said...

Love this hat - such a super shape. Maybe we should all make an agreement to wear hats for knitting gatherings?

kim said...

How timely. I am watching a royal wedding special as I type this. I remember being in highschool when Diana married. It is somewhat magical, and you should most definitely where that hat!

Bells said...

oh that's so cute! And stylish! I really like that!

I'll watch a bit of the wedding, and hopefully with the sound turned down because the drivel annoys the hell out of me. Then when I get bored (ie after I've seen the dress) I'll put a dvd on! Why yes I am grinchy about it!

I'm sure it will be lovely.

Bells said...

oh that's so cute! And stylish! I really like that!

I'll watch a bit of the wedding, and hopefully with the sound turned down because the drivel annoys the hell out of me. Then when I get bored (ie after I've seen the dress) I'll put a dvd on! Why yes I am grinchy about it!

I'm sure it will be lovely.

Anonymous said...

as youve probably guessed i have zero interest in royal weddings, and not usually one for hats either, but this one is just lovely. such a great shape, and colour, so well made. i think you will look smashing in it :P

amy said...

I really like the hat! I'm mystified by the appeal of watching complete strangers get married. I'm sort of mystified by big weddings in general, and this is Big on another scale entirely. And the last Royal wedding I watched (because I was a kid and had no choice!) ended rather badly...

Anonymous said...

We don't wear hats much over here, either, sadly, but I agree with you, and I LOVE seeing a nice hat.

Your cloche is lovely!

I'll watch as much of the wedding as I can, though I'm sure to miss the beginning, since live coverage begins here at 4 am!

roxie said...

What a fetching hat! Yes, by all means, wear a hat on Friday for the wedding! I love hats, of all kinds, for all occasions. Those little "Fascinators" are really more in the nature of hair ornaments. Something with a brim and flowers is my idea of chic!!

MadMad said...

I haven't quite caught the wedding mania yet, not sure why, since I appear to be alone in it, but there you go. I DO need a HAT, though, for a Kentucky Derby party next weekend, so maybe I'll find some wedding cast offs, right? Hey, write me the color of your Silky Merino - I may have it in the shop, if it's the color I'm remembering!

Mereknits said...

Rose, love the hat. You will look fab as you watch the wedding. Have fun,
Meredith

Caffeine Girl said...

I think hats at weddings in the US are a thing of the past, and it is a shame. Aside from being elegant, they hide bad hair days!

Love the cloche! Very sophisticated.

The wedding is at 4 a.m. here on a work day, so, sadly, I won't be watching.

yoel said...

Very cute! I am a huge fan of hats and fascinators at weddings, and prefer the latter for warm-weather events. I may wear ALL of my fascinators for the royal wedding. Also, I will be asleep, then at work, for the event. But I hope the couple appreciates the gesture.

Yarna said...

As you know, I am a complete hat fan. Especially at weddings. In fact, both my children announced their impending nuptials by telling me I could go hat shopping!

Great hat - I love it.

Leonie said...

Lovely hat, so decorous, perfect for a royal wedding.

Linda said...

What a greta hat! I love the fit and the shape. I hope you enjoyed the Royal Wedding ... I loved Kates fluffy bolero she wore to the evening do!

1funkyknitwit said...

Great hat Jane :D I really like the texture and a cloche is always very stylish :)

..and didn't Kate look gorgeous in that dress, totally beautiful !

catsmum said...

totally in luuuurve with this hat - shame I couldn't wear one like this anymore ... I really think one has to be on the downside of fifty, and preferably WELL on the downside, to carry off a cloche.

Ann said...

Lovely hat & look so good on you. Somehow, I look like an idiot when I wear a hat, so never wear one except when I am gardening. I love royal weddings too!

Lynne said...

Love the hat and Miss J looks very good in it (as I'm sure you do too).

I watched some of Charles and Diana's wedding, none of the others but every minute of Will and KAte's - being on holidays in rainy weather with no internet access, what else was I to do? I loved the whole thing - the pomp and ceremony - and the marriage of two people very much in love!