Finally... the hat.

Here is, finally, the thing I've been working on, knitting-wise. I call it "Dread Pirate Roberts' Favourite Winter Hat", because, well, you know... pirates can have cold ears too.

There you go. A pirate hat. And here's a closeup of the Jolly Roger motif:

The hat is knit from the crown downwards, so there's no need for doing a gauge test. I recommend knitting with smaller needles than recommended on the ball bands, however, to get a fairly dense structure or else the Jolly Roger won't come out so well. Wool, for its blocking malleability, is also a firm recommendation.

There are quite a few special moves involved in knitting this, including an unusual decrease, some cabling, some creative stuff with elongated stitches, and the lace (yes, technically, it's a lace-esque structure) that makes the skull. Pirate knitters are known to be fearless, though, so it should not be a problem. Right, matey?

I will be writing up the pattern tomorrow - and then, then I will be looking for someone to test-knit it. If you'd like to do that, let me know in the comments or send me an email!