Carom (plus giveaway)
I suspect you might already know this, but I have a thing for sets. I can’t help it. As soon as I finish a piece I start wondering ‘and what would happen if I just wiggled this little bit over here?’ Then all of a sudden there’s another variation on the needles. That’s totally what happened with Carom, and I’m so happy to have the pattern back out!
The first hat uses a bigger, lacier version of the stitch pattern. It’s lovely and swooshy and just a bit dramatic.
The second one uses a slightly smaller version of the stitch pattern. It’s a bit more understated and avoids anything that might hint at lace.
I’m showing a folded up brim on one version and no brim on the other, but of course you can go either way on either hat and it will look lovely.
And the crown of each looks absolutely smashing (there’s really no excuse for boring crowns…life is too short for that). 
You’ve totally got time to whip one of these out before cool weather really sets in. I used Chubbie by Vice Yarns (one of my absolute favorite yarns, if your LYS doesn’t carry it do yourself a favor and ask them to start). I’ve got a skein to give away (mine is in a beautiful mix of autumn colors that will make the most fabulous fall hat you can imagine). If you’d like a chance to win, just leave a comment telling me how you feel about having a few variations of a project in a pattern. The more the merrier? Or does it make it too hard to decide where to start? There’s no right or wrong answer, I just like to know what you like!
And while I can’t quite manage to send yarn to everyone, I can give everyone a discount. You can use the code VARIATIONS to get a dollar the price between now and Friday. Just put Carom in your ravelry cart, click on the ‘use a coupon code’ button, and type in the code VARIATIONS. You’ll see the change in price reflected right away.
Comments left between now and the end of the day (eastern time) Friday, September 23, 2016 will be entered to win. I’ll pick a winner, contact them to get their addresses, and arrange to send yarn their way. Be sure to use a real email address so I can contact you if you’ve won (I won’t do anything with those email addresses besides notify the winner). If I do email you, I need to hear back from you within 72 hours or I will pick a new winner and contact them. Sorry, but I can only ship physical prizes to US addresses.
I love variations on a theme for patterns because then the fun doesn’t stop with one but with two or even three finished objects because I can’t resist making each version.
I love options and there is usually one tiny variation that propels me to start one project over the other in a “set”. Thanks a happy autumn!
I like variations on a theme in theory, but most of the time I find that I so strongly prefer one of the options over the other that I only ever knit the one! It is really fun to see the other options for patterns though, and I love that you do it like that
Variations on a pattern make it more interesting, like choose your own adventure, I love it!
So cool. I’m intrigued by how just a slightly different stitch pattern can make such a difference in the end product. I love options in patterns!
Sometimes I like variations and having options, but other times I just really want someone to tell me what to do and not have to think about it 🙂
hmmm…..that’s a tough one. I guess options are always nice and therefore so are variations. Although I probably am better when not given too many choices–I might never be able to decide!
I love having choices, one of life’s greatest luxuries!
This will require a coin-toss…both are lovely!
I like variations! It shows me that a small change can make a significant difference in the finished item. It makes me appreciate designers even more as you’ve already worked through multiple what if’s to arrive at something that works beautifully. In this case, I like the original. Fall is here. I do need more hats.
I like variation. It’s great when you want to make multiple that are not identical but still look good together.
I love the new hat patterns! Thanks for the chance to win the yarn!
I think variations can be so much fun! And the more variations there are in a pattern, the more fun it is to knit multiple times, because you basically never have to knit the exact same pattern twice 🙂
I love the idea of picking different brims and stitch patterns. I actually don’t live in a climate where we wear a lot of hats, but I love to make them and then suggest a trip to colder weather! Absolutely love both of these, so thanks!
I love cables, bobbles, lacy holes.
And love the variations you create.
A big YES to variations!
I love the crowns. You’re right, life’s far too short. And those are lovely.
I do like having variations. I often change up the pattern anyway, esp. with socks, to do the toe and/or heel I like. It’s nice to have options build in to the pattern!
Love options! Sometimes that little difference makes the choice easier. It also means knitting the same thing twice is not exactly the same.
I like having the option to personalize a project
I *love* having variations! I typically don’t like to knit the same thing twice, but with little projects like hats, it can be worth it–and definitely moreso if I can do a different version the second time.
Usually when I make something more than once I make it the same. However, with my sock knitting, how I make them has evolved over the years, but that is kind of different than what you are talking about…
I think that it is awesome how people take an idea and run with it, but generally I don’t do that because I tend to make something once or make similar vanilla socks over and over.
Love your hat(s) and love knitting a pattern twice. I usually feel like I know what I’m doing the second time around!
The more the merrier! I am a huge fan of having things exactly how I want them and variations make that possible.
Variety is the spice of life as they say! lol Love variations in a pattern. For those like me that may not be comfortable changing up a pattern, having some built in variety in a pattern is great