My second colorwork project! And I think I’ve finally got the hang of this nonsense!**

Mom has A Thing for snow and cardinals, so this hat seemed the obvious choice for her Xmas present. I initially cast on for the adult large, but soon realized that I was knitting a hat for a basketball and decided to give the child’s size a go. (Gauge swatch? For a hat? Why, I never!)

The good news is that, even for a novice colorworkista who botched her first attempt, this project FLEW by and was knit/frogged/reknit in the span of two nights.

I have little faith in my embroidery skills - like, less faith in my embroidery skills than I have in my colorwork skills, which is a pretty terrible indictment - and went the button route instead. These birds have been living in my button jar for a few years now, but I think I got them from Joann’s.

** Concerns about this project (after the hilarious disaster that was my first colorwork project) led to a delightful exchange with my bestie, Jess, who offered to knit Ma’s gift for me and be my “Cyrano de Bird-on-Hat”. This needed to be written down for obvious reasons.

Update: A year later, Mom told me this was her favorite knitted gift on account of its loveliness and warmth. Aw.