I put my brainstorming hat on...

Porom, fall 2008

So in the past few weeks, I've been sifting through photos to put up on my Ravelry stash page.  During this process, I've come to a few realizations:

One: I have made precious few hats, and even fewer if you count hats for myself, in my five-year tenure as a knitter who works on projects between an hour and four hours every day.  What's up with that?

Alkene hat, fall 2008

Two: the hats that I do make are almost always on a total whim.  The above hat, I knit right before an organic chemistry exam, using some scraps of Malabrigo and the idea of putting interlocking alkenes all around the brim of the hat.  (Okay, so I totally doodled in class.  A lot.)

Other times, I have some yarn that I want to use up, so I cast on without swatching and finish the hat in less than a week.  Such is the case with both Porom and the two hats below.

Five Dollar Hat - legal name Vine and Leaf Beret, January 2010

Three: I have a ton of hats queued.  I know exactly what yarns I would use, and I have a whole list of patterns that I think are super cute.  So why the hell haven't I knit them yet?!

Pink corduroy hat aka Blume hat, summer 2010

Four: I make the same damn face in all of my hat pictures.  Hahahah.

What to make of all of this business?  Well, I've been thinking.  I've been feeling like I'm in a bit of a knitting rut lately - only making lace and sometimes a random sweater or pair of socks.  I'd like to challenge myself to go outside my comfort zone, because that's when I feel like I learn the most, and have the most fun.

Conclusion:  I'm going to put together all those super cute patterns and awesome yarn and make myself a Hat Club à la Yarn Harlot's Self-Imposed Sock Club.  I'm thinking a hat a month until December.  That's four hats, which I definitely have the yarn for in my stash already.  Can I do it?

....maybe.

(I'm also scheming that there should be something in it for you guys for sticking with me.  Hee hee hee.  Details to follow!)