Lace Hat Frustrations

This is my latest project, Belle Starr Hat found on How the West was Spun. The following thoughts are based on my problems in learning lace, and not the lovely pattern.

Reasons why I should continue this hat:
1. I want to make a hat to match this scarf.

At the time, I thought that this was lacework. It does have yarn overs in it....

2. I like the pattern and think it is "deserving" of the yarn (Mountain Colors Bearfoot in Indian Corn colorway).

3. I bought new knitpicks needles to go with the beautiful yarn and beautiful pattern.

Wood so smooth, points so pointy, cable so bendy--knitters are a tactile people, and these needles are the best!

4. I can learn to do lace on a (seemingly) simple pattern and a (seemingly) small project.

5. I'm feeling very stubborn right now.

Reasons I should cease and desist:
1. A lace hat doesn't sound very warm. I usually don't wear hats unless it gets super cold.

2. I have had 6 false starts (3 of them with 2 strands and on size 3's to get guage, one on size 5, 24" (for a hat?!?), one learning 2 circular needles method (again on 5's, single strand) and another learning the magic loop method (this was fun to learn and the second time was the charm).

3. I've frogged a total of 38 rows and tinked about 7 rows. That is approximately 4050 stitches. It took me that many stitches to learn how to count to 10 between every marker and to learn how to pick up a yarn over if it was dropped.

4. I've started swearing a lot during this project and have developed a neck strain.

5. My husband is starting to get sick of me snapping at him while I work on the hat.


I'm still feeling stubborn, so I guess I'll continue until that feeling passes.