Bozeman Chullo

Yes, I did actually wear the Chullo

After finishing up my first pair of socks of 2013 I immediately cast on a new project...a hat.  I don't usually wear hats on a daily basis.  If the temperatures drop below 40 degrees I'll pull my Cassidy hat out as we head out for our morning walk.  It mostly covers my ears and it is not a beanie...dislike those types.  I also wear a Tilley to shade my face and neck when we hike, but I'm not usually a hat gal.  I know this, but for some reason I fell head over heels for this particular pattern.  May be the subject matter around the hat or the possibility of sub-zero temperatures while dog walking in Bozeman, MT after dark, but I could not get this hat out of my mind. 
I did not have anything appropriate in the stash...why does that always seem to happen?  The colors I chose match my purple ski coat.  The two skeins I ended up are somewhat an unusual color choice for me, but I wanted them to match the ski coat so the choices definitely were limited.  I loved the softness of the Madelinetosh...first time using this one.  Wonderfully soft against the skin...maybe I'll actually enjoying wearing it.


Details:
Pattern:  Cross-Country Chullo by Anne Featonby;

Yarn:  Tosh Merino Light by Madelinetosh; 100% superwash merino wool; fingering weight;  2 skeins of  420 yards/100 grams each;  colors- byzantine and sugarplum.  I still have 2 3/8 oz (66 grams) of sugarplum and 2 oz (58 grams) of byzantine.

Gauge:  32 stitches by 34 rows over 4 inches of stockinette stitch.  I was spot on row gauge for this one...for once.

Needles: 2 US 1.5 24" circular needles; 1 US 3 24" circular for I-cord.

Modifications:  Rather than using double point needles I chose to use 2 sets of circulars.  Way to many stitches to risk loosing them in the manipulation colorwork requires.  I followed the pattern until I reached chart E.  Since I was using circular needles I could try the hat on as I went to check the fit and make adjustments.  I started to get worried when it looked as if the hat was turning out way smaller than my big head.  My gauge was perfect so since the pattern did not list any measurements other than circumference I decided I'd add one pattern repeat...just in case.  I decreased back down once I started chart F and continued.  The fit was much better with the additional stitches so my anxiety lessened a good deal.

The only other change I made was the positioning of the ear flaps.  The designer had the ear flaps placed evenly...45 stitches per needle.  After looking over a few of the finished hats on Ravelry a good number talked about changing the placement of the flaps to further back.  It looked much nicer and covered the ears at a better angle.  I held 55 stitches for the front, started the first ear flap over the next 45 stitches, then held the next 35 stitches for the back and used the remaining 45 stitches for the second ear flap.  It looks more natural to me.  

I added tassels to the top and to the ends of the I-cord ties.  A quick shot of stream smoothed out the hat's stitches.  There are a couple of spots that I carried the yarn and snugged it up a bit tighter than I should have, but it isn't driving me batty enough to fix it.  I'm now ready for the winter escape to Bozeman...y'all better hope we get snow (and cold) or my hat won't make it out of my pocket.