The Beehive Hat

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Temperatures are dropping. Time to start thinking about winter hats. My crocheted beehive hats are warm and cozy. A simple repeating pattern done in the round and rich solid colours enhance stitch definition and texture. These “beehives”, made with bulky wool from the Peruvian highlands, Spain, and Iceland, are wind-buffering, water-resistant, and very good insulators. Wool, a natural fiber, is strong and durable. It has elastic properties that let garments made of wool stretch to fit you. 

I include some guidelines below to washing your wool hats. Key points include avoiding machine or dryer use and hot water as these can cause shrinkage and felting. Also avoid excessive wringing and squeezing while wet, as your hat may permanently stretch out of shape.

To hand wash a knitted or crocheted wool hat, be sure to use cool water and a mild detergent or one made specially for wool garments that contains lanolin. Gently swirl the hat in the sudsy water; do not wring or squeeze. Rinse well with cool water. Roll the hat in an absorbent towel and squeeze gently to remove excess water. Then lay flat and shape it back to its original form on a dry towel. Allow the hat to air dry, turning it several times.