Inspired by Gar Sawtelle, the father in David Wroblewski’s novel The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, this hat works well for both men and women. Gar and his family lived on a working farm in Wisconsin breeding Sawtelle dogs and when reading the novel, I pictured him outside shoveling snow or raking leaves wearing a comfortable ribbed hat.
The stretchiness of the all-over ribbing fits a variety of adult sized heads and can easily be sized down for a child by omitting a few reps and the icord cast on ensures a good fit.
While the luxurious hand-dyed cashmere may not have been Gar’s fabric of choice living on a farm in the 1970’s, this hat would look great in wool in a color suited best for the wearer or a lovely handspun yarn.