Two Recent Hats

In the coming week or so, I plan to upload pictures of the hats that I've been working on over the summer.  I'm including two today. 

Sunshine Hat

I've been using a variety of wool yarns for the hat bodies.  The type of sheep (or other animal, e.g. alpaca) from which the wool comes makes a difference in the properties of various yarns as does the way the yarns are processed.  Those things, in turn, influence the way the wool yarn reacts to washing and fulling - the process that causes the fibers to intermingling and reform into a sturdy fabric.

For example, using different yarns with different properties means that some hats are stretchier while others are less elastic.  Some appear smoother while others have a halo of tiny fibers around them (such as the one above and the one below).  And those made from alpaca are hypoallergenic since the wool of the baby alpaca contains no lanolin and is soft to the touch.

Blues and Berries Hat