Take time to check gauge.....

Right.  Does anyone actually do that...for a HAT?  Oh dear, well, I guess I should have.  I just finished knitting two Thorpe hats (for my brothers, whose birthdays are Dec. 28 and Jan. 3, respectively), and the first one came out absolutely HUGE.  Now, my brother has a really big head, but this is pushing it a bit I'm afraid.  We'll see.

 

I guess you can't really see it in that picture, but the thing is positively baggy on my poor dh (who is so obliging about my blogging - and knitting - weirdnesses).

Here's the second one:

 

Fits better around, but too long.    I followed the pattern on length.  Really.  Dh insists it is fine, but I think he just wanted me to stop griping about the hat.  

I am, however, very pleased with the herringbone braids I used to finish them: