I knitted this hat originally for a dear friend who has entered a very difficult stage of his life – after successfully battling lymphoma, he is now succumbing to dementia. He is one of the most kind, generous, and positive people I’ve been privileged to know, and even as he struggles with the fear and confusion of his new condition, he accepts it with a grace and courage that is both touching and inspiring. He is someone who understands that real happiness is found not so much in conquering all our problems as in finding the balance in life, between its sorrows and joys, its troubles and triumphs.

I like to think the gifts we knit with intention can have magical properties – at the very least, all that love and care we put into them must be passed on to the recipient, right? And so I decided to make a knitted wish for harmony and serenity for my friend, then set out to find the perfect symbol to knit into a hat that will warm and comfort him as well. The main motif in this hat probably originated in African art, but variations have been used by many cultures. It’s an elegant depiction of the sun and moon in perfect, harmonious balance, and an expression of the necessary duality of existence – day without night, or light without darkness lose their meaning. I’ve bordered it with arrows as a reminder that life can go in more than one direction, and sometimes unexpectedly.

Harmony is a toque-style hat knitted in the round from the bottom up. Directions are given for using a short (16”) circular needles and moving to double points for the crown decreases, but it could easily be adapted for magic loop. The colorwork is charted, and I’ve topped it with a knitted ball as a pom-pom alternative. I’ve created this colorway to make the most of three balls of Jamieson’s Double Knitting yarn, but any DK-weight yarn that’s suitable for stranding would work well. I hope it brings harmony to all who knit and wear it.

Skills required:
• Long tail or other elastic cast on
• Knit and purl stitches
• Knitting small circumferences in the round
• Stranded color stockinette knitting