Read other entries in this series here as they are available.

Pattern name: Undergrowth (Knitty link)

Designer: Mandy Powers (Ravelry link)

Yarn: Unknown (the gray is wool worsted and the rainbow is acrylic from Joann’s)

My Favorite Thing about This Hat: This hat is my hat of funny stories. 

Story 1: Although I can’t find the label, I bought this yarn from a Joann’s in the New Orleans area while visiting my husband’s family (we were at Joann’s because I knit his niece and nephew stuffed pillows for Christmas but to save space in our luggage I just waited until we got there to buy the stuffing).  I just bought it on a whim because the colors appealed to me.  

While in the yarn section a woman approached me with several large skeins of yarn and a one of those circular handknitting looms.  “Do you knit?” she asked.

“I do,” I said.

“Do you think I can knit four scarves on this by Christmas?” she asked.

[It was 2 pm on Christmas Eve.]

“Uh, I don’t think I could,” I said, trying to be tactful, “but if you don’t have anything else to do today and you’re very fast, maybe?” 

Story 2: When I finished this hat, for a while it was the hat I wore with my bright purple coat and a similarly rainbow colored chunky scarf.  One extremely gray and dreary New York City winter morning, I walked onto a subway car to commute to work and a woman sitting across from the door just *lit up* like I had just literally brightened her day. She didn’t say anything to me, but I’ve never forgotten the look on her face. It was nice to feel like I had brightened someone’s day just by indulging my own penchant for bright colors.

Also the colorwork chart on this hat is astounding, look at this crown:

What I’d Change about This Hat:  It’s a little short for my head, unfortunately.  I knit the adult large but it just doesn’t quite come down as far as I’d like it to, and the color chart does not lend itself to adding additional length.

Would I Knit it Again?  Not for myself, but it would make a lovely gift knit as long as the recipient’s head wasn’t as big as mine.

This Week’s Charity:

Brave Space Alliance is Chicago’s first black-led, trans-led LGBTQ+ center located on the South Side of Chicago dedicated to creating and providing affirming, culturally competent, resources, programming, and services for LGBTQ+ individuals on the South and West sides of the city. 

The BSA’s Dignity Suite is a free initiative providing gender affirming clothing, cosmetics, wigs and other items and services to folx of all gender identities and expressions.  Additionally their BSA Free Store Community Pantry provides free weekly grocery delivery to community members in need and also partners with organizations that host pantry sites across the city.

Through December 31, the BSA is hosting their Dignity 2 Destiny Peer to Peer Fundraiser.  In support of this effort, all donations made through the WLS Makes Stuff donation page through December 31, 2023 will be matched up to $500.