I ordered some Corriedale wool from a mill in the south of Alberta. Corriedale is a spongy, springy wool that retains its shape well when made into things, but it is not known for being overly soft. There is some hay left in the wool, but not much and most of it is coming out when I am crocheting. So far the hat is made from the top down and I intend to just not connect the stiched where the eyes are so that it is a sort of balaclava, similar to my last year's creation. I don't have a pattern and just make it up as I am going along, not really sure how it will turn out. I want to make another similar hat for Travis and line it with felted wool. He will be working outside in Edmonton this winter. The only thing is he won't be able to throw it in the wash with his other things since it is not preshrunk. I don't mind washing it when he comes out if he remembers to bring it or if he will wear it at all.
This hat will have a built in collar, or rather just keep on going down to the chest. There is a small opening in every coat, it seems, where the zipper meets at the top, that lets the cold air in. Believe me, when I am working outside in 40 below, I feel that, so the hat I made last year went down that far. I like it so well, that I am making this one because sometimes I have to go out twice in one day and the hat has not dried. It feels uncomfortable to put a wet woolen hat over my face. Two hats would give me the option to switch between them. When I was younger my hands used to go numb when I was crocheting and they hurt terribly. I was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome. I think carpal tunnel is a result of underusing the hands then overusing them. I have not suffered from carpal tunnel much over the years, but now that I am a farmer and using my hands to do hard and heavy work, I think they are mostly healed. I don't sit and crochet all day though. There are too mamy other things to do.
Sor far, so good though. What do you think?