On Target

Justin saw this hat on an archery forum that he frequents, and decided that he needed one. It is a little disconcerting to knit a hat with an archery target on it for your son to wear on his head, but since this is only the second or third thing he has asked me to knit for him in 22 years, I got started immediately.

The pattern is for a beanie and Justin favors hats with a fold-up ribbed brim to keep his ears warm, so I modified it a bit. I got started on the target rings and realized that the hat was going to be way too tall if I kept following the pattern, so I ripped it out twice, decreasing the number of rows for the target rings each time. The third try was acceptable, but I still think the hat is too big. Justin is happy with it, but I plan to knit another one in the near future, even if it's just to prove to myself that I can do a much better job. I'll use a thinner yarn than Red Heart (maybe Cascade 220 or Plymouth Encore, depending on which one has the best colors), do less ribbing, and make a fold line in the ribbing. Red Heart is washable and has great colors for an archery target, but I really dislike the awful acrylic squeakiness and stiff fabric. Hopefully I can score a bullseye with On Target Version 2.0. 

Ravelry details here.