A Path Less Taken

I took a side trip into free form plain crochet over the last month or so. An Arizona friend wanted a skullcap that he could wear while riding his motorcycle. My first design of netting with beads was quite interesting, but just did not do the job. Clearly I didn't understand exactly what was wanted.
.


We discussed what qualities a skull cap should have. It should be very close fitting, not lift in the wind, be comfortable, have a weave that he could put the ear pieces of his glasses through, and have ear flaps for colder days.

The purple hat in handspun wool worked well and provided warmth from an unusually chilly Tombstone winter, but it needed some tweaking in the length and fit of the ear flaps.


He belongs to The American Legion Riders who participate in parades and other ceremonies and requested something that emulated an American flag. Thus the Flag hat was born. Now the actual construction became well defined and perfected. By now I knew what I was doing and just how this hat should fit and work.

I commissioned a friend , Jen, to knit him a winter dicky in Harley Davidson colors and I made the matching skull cap from leftover wool. It's a good thing he has a great sense of humor as the orange just begged me to put a jack-o-lantern face on the back. This final hat met all of the qualities that we had discussed


So if you see a uniquely dressed man on a Harley in and around Tombstone, Arizona, it's probably my friend. He seems to be satisfied with my final design. Thanks Ken, for giving me a side trip with a creative challenge and some fun in crocheting with yarn again.

Now back to beading after a small side trip down a path I haven't traveled in a long while.