Carrie's Cloche

My really cool friend, Carrie, came to me a couple of weeks ago, in need of warmth.  As long as I can remember, she has always worn a really beautiful crocheted hat during the winter, and it looked comfy, warm, and really cute on her.  Apparently, the hat was lost, and she attempted to replace it with one from Etsy.  The new hat ended up being too small for Carrie's head (which is not abnormally large, based on the quick measurements several of us moms did during a playdate-- ha!!), so she gave it to her 2 1/2 year old.  It fits her daughter perfectly.  Now, I'm not an genius, but no hat meant for an adult woman should fit a 2 1/2 year old child!  Gauge, people. GAUGE.

Anyway, it occurred to Carrie that her crazy crocheting friend (ME!) might be able to help a sister out, so she came to me with a pattern and asked if I might be able to make it.  It was a free pattern called the "Charleston Cloche", and it was published by my favorite yarn manufacturer, Red Heart, so I was definitely game to try it.  And here is the finished product, as modeled by Carrie!

Beautiful hat for a beautiful lady.  Poor Carrie, I made her stand out in the icy weather (I think it was 6 degrees at the time) so I could snap these photos.  The hat pattern's accompanying picture shows the attached flower the same color as the hat, and Carrie wondered if we might be able to switch it up and do the flower in a different color.  Challenge accepted!  I ended up making her one in hot pink and one in turquoise; both are attached to barrettes that can clip onto the hat, so she can switch flowers any time she likes.  Carrie even tried wearing one of the flowers in her hair and it looked lovely.  Did I remember to take a picture of the turquoise flower?  Nope.  But here's a better view of the pink one.

I don't know how much of a "cloche" this really is....  Cloche hats are supposed to be bell-shaped (the bottom edge flares out slightly from the head-- these were really popular in the time that Downton Abbey is currently set).  But, this hat is cool no matter what you call it.  The interesting HDC cluster pattern makes the hat surprisingly stretchy for crochet, and it turned out to be a good size because I used a big crochet hook to be extra-sure that it didn't turn out too small and give Carrie an undeserved "big head" complex.  Hopefully she will be able to wear this hat without getting "hat hair" when she comes in from the cold and takes it off.

This was one project I had a hard time giving away.  I am NOT a hat-wearer, but I thought it looked pretty decent on me when I modeled it for Andrew and Sonia!  I may have to give this pattern another try.  Here's a bad selfie taken with the iPad:

I swear, I did make a turquoise flower.....  Anyway, stay warm in your hat, Carrie!  This winter has been brutal in the temperature department.