Winter in my neck of the woods never means snow, but in these chilly months our landscapes can still find themselves covered in blankets of white. The colors of January’s Inspiration Club Winter Wonderland remind me of the delicate white blossoms that cover the almond orchards here in the Central Valley of California months before the rest of the Northern world is even thinking about Spring. I pass them every day on the drive to my yarn shop, and in the early morning the branches are almost hidden in thick banks of fog that characterize Winter in the valley.
I designed this crocheted hat to echo the orderly rows of almond orchards glistening in the winter fog, and the colors of the yarn suit the image perfectly.
This hat uses two colors of Merino Cloud held together throughout. Optionally, ridges may be worked adding a strand of Beaded Silk & Sequins Light as Well.

Experience Level- Intermediate

Yarn Weight- 2: Fine

Gauge
16 sts and 16 rows = 4” or 10 cm in single crochet through the back loop only. To save time, take time to check gauge.

Sizes
S/M(L/XL)
Directions will indicate instructions for the L/XL size.
Shown in L/XL.

Materials
Yarn - Artyarns MERINO CLOUD (100 grams/436 yards, 80% Merino, 20% Cashmere): 1 skein of January 2019 Inspiration Club color Winter Wonderland (Yarn A) and 1 skein of 374 (Yarn B).
Optional: Artyarns BEADED SILK & SEQUINS LIGHT (50 grams/110 yards, 100% silk with Murano glass beads and sequins): 1 skein of January 2019 Inspiration Club color Winter Wonderland (Yarn C).
Hook - 1 US J (6mm) or size needed to obtain gauge. To save time, take time to check gauge.
Tapestry needle.
Optional removable marker.
Optional pompom.

Abbreviations
All crochet terms are in North American terminology.
Ch- Chain.
BPdc- Back post double crochet.
BPhdc- Back post half double crochet.
Sc- Single crochet.
ScBLO- Single crochet into the back loop only.
Sl st- Slip stitch.
Sl st3LO- Slip stitch into the third loop only.
Sl stBLO- Slip stitch into the back loop only.

What is the “third loop”?
This this the horizontal bar running underneath the top of the stitch when you look at the wrong side of the work. We will be working slip stitches into this loop to begin some rounds of back post stitches to create a tidy round change.