A Ginger Spiced Pork Pie at Brooklyn’s Atlantic Antic

I made a few adjustments to my Kings County Pork Pie hat pattern using Rowan Wool Cotton. It still needed to be washed and pressed but I wanted to wear it to the Atlantic Antic to see Les Sans Culottes. This hat is so light-weight and breathable, but mostly it kept my head warn on this crowded, chilly fall afternoon.

Men in black— Jacques, Clermont, and Pomme grab a beer at Last Exit bar.

Band leader and French ex-pat, Clermont Ferrand, en route to the stage

Tous de la bande, Les Sans Culottes — Clermont Ferrand (l'homme de tête). Kit Kat Le Noir and Courtney Louvre (les chanteuses deux), M. Pommes Frites (la basse), Tres Semmé (la guitare) Johnny Dieppe (le clavier), Jacques Strappe (la batterie)

Madame Courtney warming up her vocals on a chilly day

The music was sweet, the street food was delicious, and the crowd screamed “Encore!” Notice the stroller brigade.

This crowd gets younger and younger each year. Where did their parents go?

Antoine, Janice, and family — this was a long day for the girls.

Adrianne looked surprised. I wonder what Katie just told her.

Tom and Michelle bobbed to French power-pop rock in a sea of people.

Troy and Pat hold court off of Court Street.

The youngest fan of all — Kit Kat kisses baby Delphine’s sweet little dancing feet. I wish I could have stayed longer, but my allergies were killing me. October is allergy season and I got the whole fall package this year — sneezing, itching, runny nose, dry eyes.

The gang went bar crawling and I wandered home sneezing. I made some coffee and revised my hat pattern with a simple side band. It’s optional but it adds an understated detail, and it accommodates minor adjustments within hat sizes.

Rowan Wool Cotton is a 50/50 merino blend that is so soft and elastic that it makes any hat feel like freshly baked bread. I particularly love this warm color (SH: 00965 / LOT: 3373). It’s the color of the best ginger snap you’ve ever had. Here’s a closer look with my friend Justin, he’s a busy man who wears many hats.

Hats Off to Brett Bara!

The entire East Coast was just rocked by a 5.8 tremor... and now we brace ourselves for a hurricane? But neither earthquake nor the impending doom of Hurricane Irene can hold me back. Freshly pressed and ironed on this soggy day, I just sent off three Kings County Pork Pies to crafty maven Brett Bara for her book on crochet accessories (Interweave Books). I’m very proud to be included in her project along with many other talented folks.

This hat pattern is written for men's sizes small, medium, and large and includes special instructions for Tunisian Crochet. Now back to proofing more patterns for The Yarn Monkey store.

A Wedge of Pork Pie for Summer

Spring leaves are out, the sound of hatchlings peep through the trees outside my window, and the smell of fresh laundry hangs in the air. Summer is almost upon us. I’ve been working on my Kings County Pork Pie hat. This summer a few of these will be sold at Ozzie’s Coffee Shop here in Park Slope, along with other fine handmade goods.

This hat is similar to the crochet Pork Pie that I designed for Vogue Knitting — except that my Kings County Pork Pie is worked entirely in Tunisian Crochet ribbon. This woven crochet stitch closely resembles straw ribbon.

Tunisian Crochet is very firm — this and the combination of materials hold the brim upright. I used  slate linen/silk (School Products) and charcoal linen paper (Habu) yarns to create a crisp yet lived-in look. People will argue that gray is not a color, but I find that it does complement all colors.

This man’s hat is understated luxury at it’s finest. All it needs is the right band. Here are a few detail photos.