Snowing with Ripley

While Toronto may have had an incredibly mild start to winter, what with November and December being unseasonably warm and devoid of snowfall, the time has come for bundling. There's the longsleeved shirts and the sweaters, tights and long underwear. Hats, mitts, gloves, scarves, cowls and big parkas. While today may no be our coldest of the year, it was rather chilly. I now officially look like this 75% of my outdoor time. The other 25% I am wearing more layers.

The hat keeping me warm right now is Ripley, by Ysolda. I cast on in the car on the way to the Christmas Eve pagent, and I cast off Boxing Day morning. I did the less slouchy version as I wanted it to fit inside my helmet, for when I am riding my bicycle. It took maybe just over half a skein.

I believe that I knit the length of the edging a bit longer, or until it fit around my head, as I went down a needle size to create a denser fabric. The denser the fabric, the less wind gets in! I did a bit of giggery (a technical term) and picked up more stitches as well. I can't quite remember the math, but it did work. If anyone really wanted to know I'm sure I could figure it out. I generally wear the pleats on the side, for a cloche effect, however the pleats are genius for fitting under a helmet as they reduce the bunching up of scarf/hat at the back of my neck.


Forgive the poor photos, it was cold and snowing and I think my wireless remote was getting cold and didn't want to work. I think they turned out pretty well, considering!