Project: "Box-O-Yarn"--Latvian Hat

Here's my snow globe, wearing a hat I just finished from the same family of yarn I used for the library book bag below.

I found a wonderful book at the library by Joyce Williams, titled Latvian Dreams: Knitting From Weaving Charts. The book contains charts for more than a hundred traditional Latvian weaving patterns, and a number of beautiful, incredibly elaborate sweaters made by the author.

Latvian knitting is usually done at a much smaller scale, and I plan to do it properly some day, but I couldn't resist trying out a pattern in worsted weight yarn on this hat. Again, the colors are not true in the picture, as what looks like white is really a tan color, and the red is sort of a rust color.

I just used my usual 84 stitch hat pattern, with a rolled edge. The pattern was a 12 stitch repeat, so I continued that into the decreases with seven pie shapes of 12 stitches each, decreasing down, to make the crown.

Next, an attempt at matching mittens.

I'm smitten with these charts. I can see lots of projects, both in knit and crochet, in my future. Wouldn't they make great pillows? Or a tiny purse? The book has elaborate borders, too, and charts that can be used in combination. Prepare to be bored with all things Latvian in the months to come.