Here at WEBS, we are big fans of hats. They make great gifts and are perfect super-quick projects for anyone you care about.

There are so many hat styles and different ways to wear them, we thought we would share with you some of our favorite hats and how we wear them. We hope this helps you in deciding on a hat style for you or someone on your list.

How do you like to wear your hat? Do you prefer a tight beanie, a loose and slouchy beret, or somewhere in-between?

Featured Hats
Row 1 (L-R): Norie by Shetland Trader (with mods) in Madelinetosh Pashmina, Valley Yarns 254 Essential Ribbed Hat in Valley Yarns Amherst, Norie by Shetland Trader in Madelinetosh Pashmina

Row 2 (L-R): Brier Toque from Weekend Hats in Schoppel Wolle Zauberball Crazy, Katahdin Hat (FREE) from Fibre Co. in Fibre Co. Acadia, Everdeen from Weekend Hats in Madelinetosh Tosh DK

Row 3 (L-R): Poet Society Tam from Madelinetosh in Madelinetosh Tosh Vintage, Valley Yarns 345 Silver Lining Hat in Valley Yarns 2/14 Alpaca Silk Hand Dyed, Wanderer Cap from Weekend Hats in Tahki Tara Tweed

Row 4 (L-R): Annex Snood from Weekend Hats in Dream in Color Smooshy with Cashmere, Ruche Beret from Weekend Hats in Blue Sky Alpacas Melange, Cloudy Day from Never Not Knitting in Lorna’s Laces Sportmate

Row 5 (L-R): Valley Yarns 445 Little Whiskers Hat in Valley Yarns Greenwich, Valley Yarns 432 Gnomey Earflap Hat in Valley Yarns Cold Spring, Ripley from Ysolda Teague in Madelinetosh Tosh Chunky

Just in time for some last-minute holiday knitting or crocheting: two free cozy patterns! Fast, inexpensive, useful, thoughtful, and one-size-fits-all, cozies make fantastic gifts for even the fussiest recipients. Who wouldn’t like to keep their hot drinks hot and their cool drinks cool?

 

#510 Fancy Mug Cozy

This elegant, ever-so-slightly-lacy knit mug cozy is great for grabbing a mug of hot cocoa. Since it’s worked sideways, it can be knit to fit any size mug. A simple cast-on button loop keeps it snug and secure around a mug handle. One skein of Valley Yarns Superwash is all it takes, making it a soft, washable, and quite economical gift.

Download the pattern here.

 
#511 Jar, Bottle, or Can Cozy

For years, students and other resourceful thrifters have been reusing jars as travel mugs, thermoses and lunch containers. Celebrate their good recycling habits by crocheting them this very quick and handy cozy.

The base acts as a built-in coaster while the sides insulate. A roomy side strap is perfect for clipping onto a bag or belt loop while the top stability strap holds it in place. Eyelets underneath the side strap help you see inside. But it’s not just for drinking out of jars. It can easily accommodate bottles, cans, or adorn your home-canned gifts. Using only about 50 yards of Valley Yarns Northampton, you can easily get three or four cozies from just one skein!

Download the pattern here.

Our last free pattern feature from Fiesta is the La Boheme Neck Warmer. Knit in Fiesta Starburst La Boheme, this neck warmer adds color and sparkle to your accessory collection.

Fiesta Starburst La Boheme blends rayon, brushed kid mohair, wool, nylon, and metallic. The different fibers blend to create a fiber with a sheen, mohair haze, and sparkle all in one. It is dyed in Fiesta’s great color combinations.

The asymmetrical design created by buttoning is a great look and functional keeping this scarf around your neck. Your neck is sure to stay toasty on the chilliest of days with this warmer.

We’re giving away the yarn to knit the La Boheme Neck Warmer. Just leave a comment by Wednesday, November 21 at 9:00am EST.

You can download the free pattern on our website here.

We’re all working on our holiday craft projects here at WEBS and even created a video to show how we’re handling our handmade holidays.

Pinterest is a great place to find ideas for holiday projects and keep track of them. We’re always pinning interesting ideas, and we want to share the fun with you. Check out our WEBS Handmade Holidays Pinterest Contest and create your own board with all the items you find in our Handmade Holidays video and share the link to your board in the comments below.

One lucky winner will receive a $50 WEBS Gift Card! Deadline for entries is 8:00 am EST on Monday, November 26th.

Check out the video now and start pinning!

Have someone on your list that you want to make a sweater for? We have a few suggestions in our Valley Yarns patterns that may be worth a look.

For the crocheters, we’re loving Valley Yarns B-7 Basic Crocheted Cardigan. It is shown her in Valley Yarns Stockbridge, but the beauty of this pattern is that the included directions can be used with a DK, worsted, or bulky weight yarn making this simple pattern a fantastic value.

Valley Yarns 500 Pacifica Cardigan is knit in one of our newer yarns, Valley Yarns Buckland. Worked from the bottom-up, this raglan cardigan really shows off the way that Buckland drapes. I love the pop of goldenrod on this cardigan and the buttons complement it well.

If you’re looking for a great pattern for the guy in your life, you may want to check out some of our other Valley Yarns Basics patterns (B-1 Basic Pullover is shown here). They can be knit in various gauges. Make sure you also check out our blog post: Valley  Yarns Patterns for Men for some additional ideas.

Do you have any sweater plans for the holidays?

Now that the leaves have fallen off the trees (and we’re getting snow as I type this!) in western Massachusetts, it’s starting to really feel winter-like. The lack of color on the trees is making me crave a little color in my usually black and gray wardrobe.

Our store associate and website content assistant, Greta, recently whipped up this quick hat in two colors of Fibre Company Tundra and wrote up the pattern.

This project would make a great gift and only takes two hanks of the luxurious baby alpaca, merino, and silk blend.

What colors would you choose?

Click here for a link to the free pattern.

We recently received the newest needles from Knitter’s Pride and we’re excited to share them with you. Check out the Knitter’s Pride Karbonz in our video.

The needles feature a carbon fiber body and nickel-plated brass tips. Since they are made of carbon fiber, the needles have a high tensile strength, warm feel, and a surface that helps your stitches move smoothly. They are also extremely lightweight.

Because the carbon fiber is so sturdy, Knitter’s Pride offers these needles in the smallest of sizes. We have cricular needles in 16″-40″ n US0-US4, 10″ single point needles in US0-US4, and 6″ and 8″ double point needles. The 6″ are available in US000-US4 and 8″ in US00-US2.5.

 

Want to knit something for a special, sweater-worthy someone this holiday season? There’s still time to knit the quick, cozy, bright and easy Campfire Pullover out of Berkshire Bulky!

It’s a bottom-up, seamless raglan pullover that’s front-back reversible, color stranded for added warmth, and would make a great gift for any outdoorsy types on your knit-list.

The colorwork is simple and cheery in two oranges that, when combined, look like the sparks of a crackling campfire –great for spotting the wearer in a First Night snowstorm or a crowd of after-holiday-sale shoppers! And since it’s front-back reversible, you can just throw it on and go — great for giving to a non-knitter who has trouble navigating a tagless neckline.

The big gauge of Berkshire Bulky makes it a quick knit that they’ll never know was made at the last minute. Its wool/alpaca fiber content make it soft and warm with just a hint of a fibery halo.

So whether you’re just now thinking of a sweater to give for the holidays or you’re hankering to keep it for yourself, do consider the can-do Campfire Pullover. It’s one of my favorite designs so far, being simple and functional, but also stands out with its color combination. It also happens to go well with my standard wardrobe of jeans and gray t-shirts – definitely a sweater I’d make and wear, myself.

-Kirsten

Some of our staffers had a little fun today with Halloween and dressed up!

 
 Our group and Miss Swatchie 2012 (Leslie Ann)

 

 A princess (Mary) and “retro office lady” (Kendra)

 

A pair of fancy bears (Tina and Jamie)

 

A pirate (Sara) and Wonder Woman (Ashley)

We hope you have a fun and safe Halloween! Are you dressing up today?

 

Congratulations to Sally who wrote:

“So pretty! I’m in a “dark”-ish mood, I’d love to use Grape & Charcoal in the Northfield, where Charcoal would be the rib & picture & then pair them with Arctic in the Huntington. Oh my, want!”

It was so much fun reading all of your color combinations, but now I can’t decide which one I want to do!