A Tale of Two Cities Hats or
When does a modified design become an original?

Thanks for all your kind comments on my FOs - How do I find time to do my knitting/spinning? Easy - I try to avoid housework!

Artisanne asked if Inga was my design - NO! It's a lovely free pattern by Sheila Macdonald of EWEnique fibers - However it inspired me to knit another. There were many comments on Ravelry where folk thought that Inga was too long. Personally I like the longer length - I like to wear it flopped over and I thought it begged a tassel. But I could see where they were coming from. I also liked the diamond form of the design which became part of the decreases, but I wanted a hat which had six decreases instead of three to make less of a mitred effect. So I got out my graph paper and roughly drew in much smaller diamonds - then doodled a design to try and ensure that there were no more than 5 stitches to strand the yarn across. I kept the braid/herringbone edge because I like it - the first time I used it was on Karen Neale's KAL gloves for handpainted yarn (which I still haven't finished - they only need two fingers and thumb to complete!). So the only thing I kept from the original was the number of stitches cast on and the braid edge. I added a corrugated rib to stop the brim from rolling.

This is INGA: and this is my Jacob (so called because I knit it in my handspun Jacob fleece) :

Mine is much more of a beanie. So with so little of the original remaining - is this my design or not? Interesting question, ay? I asked the question at the Knitting and Crochet Guild AGM last weekend (will write a more detailed update on that fascinating event at a later date!) - and the consensus seemed to be that if you'd changed 20% it was yours. Where did this figure come from?

I'm in the process of knitting it again - this time with a single corrugated rib and in handpainted Ballet yarn (from woolly workshop - lovely stuff - alpaca/tencel and so soft) - and I'm really excited at how the colours are making a fairisle effect without the effort of changing colours frequently - and the randomness adds to the interest.

I've emailed Sheila Macdonald to ask her opinion on my publishing the modified pattern for free use on here. I'll be interested to read what she says.

"Time for bed", said Zebedee...