What do you knit for a man in his 70’s, who’s been in several branches of the military during two wars, who is a libertarian, and who has just undergone brain surgery? Well … let’s just say that it’s going to have to be … “manly.” This hat is an attempt at such a thing. Note the stealth lace yarn-overs? Should be good for a kick, ’cause they only show up if you really look for them.
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I do know that the man in question will wear knit things – hideous knit things, with all sorts of patterns on them, even – if they’re soft. He has a particular penchant for cashmere, but is also quite fond of scratchy wool (we think it was military school at age 12 which did that). So, maybe he’ll accept this hat and will wear it. I certainly hope so, because the 7 inch long scar on the top of his newly-bald head is quite a thing to behold. I’d rather not have to look at it again any time soon, but I imagine I’ll get to this weekend, as the man in question is my father, and he’s bringing my little sister up this way to help her find an apartment.
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So, this hat is to go to a dubious home, but we’re guessing that he’ll wear it. Given that he’s usually quite cold, he’ll probably love it. Of course, the cynic would point out that all he’d have to do would be to grow his hair a bit longer … but that would be ignoring the 60+ years of military haircuts. That type of thing has a lasting effect, I’m certain. I mean, that’s like 5 times longer than I had to put up with those haircuts, and I know they affected my mind.
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I bought two balls of this Lana Grossa yarn, and the hat only took one, so I’m going to knit another up for myself, probably using the same pattern. It’s not all that complex of a pattern, because the built in tufts and the multicolored yarn really distract from any laciness which you might want to add. So, we’ll look at this one as practice.
Note on the brain surgery: he had a tremor which couldn’t be treated with medication any longer, and has since been corrected by the addition of an electrode implanted into his motor cortex, acting like a pace-maker for his motor nerves. Fun. He’s getting an on/off switch implanted into his shoulder tomorrow, so that he can sleep without running down the batteries, which he’s got to have surgically replaced every few years. Yummy, eh?
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Massanutten!?
Fig Newtons and other anomalies come to mind…
It’s such a beautiful hat that it does seem a waste, but I know it will be treasured and bragged about, and held in a pocket to be shown off… but maybe not worn. Brace yourself…
And all those years you put up with those haircuts have been erased… by the nineteen inches of hair on your head currently. Rejoice!
I’d wear that hat, but then again, I’m not ex-military.
Please tell me that you are joking about the on/off switch!
Unfortunately not joking about the on/off switch. They give him a special magnet which he places against his shoulder, and which turns the device on or off.
TadMack, you haven’t experienced TMI, but I’m certain that, if you manage your timing poorly, you WILL have to see this switch in his shoulder, AND the gaping scar on his head. Just be warned … well, I guess you know them well enough to know that they’re all happy to share their wounds.