As much as I love designing garments, I can't deny the appeal of a quick knit. And to me, nothing is faster than a hat. Generally knit in the round, using very little yarn, a knitter can usually knit up a hat in an afternoon, yet wear it all Winter and be warmed. Quite the trade-off.

What better way to show-off a yarn that may not be familiar to some? I decided to design a few hats showcasing one of my favorite yarns we'll be carrying at Gauge + Tension this Fall, Jones & Vandermeer's Clever Camel.

J&V's Clever Camel - colors (from top left, clockwise): Classic, Naked, Poppy, Neat Navy, Carbon, Snowden Grey

It is 100% Baby Camel and so incredibly soft that it's hard to resist. When I first knit up a swatch, I couldn't tell the difference between it and cashmere. The only difference I could tell was that it was just a touch heavier. Cashmere's lightness is legendary, so I wasn't surprised. And camelids tend to have a heavier, silkier hair to them, even if just the fluffy under coat from a baby. But the micron counts are similar between the two, so in the hand you'll probably not notice a difference.

Although I don't claim to have a wool allergy, I do sometimes get the itchy forehead if I wear a wool hat all day. Why not a couple of super soft Clever Camel Hats:

Torti is a take on my Tortillon pattern knit in Lana Grossa's Chiara. Although a lovely yarn, they stopped distributing it in the States to my disappointment. The Chiara is much thinner than the Clever Camel, so I redesigned it for worsted weight yarn and made it a touch bigger too.

I also designed a slouchier hat for those not interested in a beanie-fit hat. I liked the idea of using the color Poppy for Galeo.

If that Chevron pattern looks familiar, it's the same one used on my Warren Street Cowl. A quick and easy knit, the set could make a lovely holiday gift or a little something for yourself.

Last, but not least, Paffuto. Of course, I needed to design something that could work for the men in our lives. I picked Quince & Co.'s Puffin because of its softness and bulky weight. Maybe I'm a selfish knitter, but it's nice to be able to whip up a quick hat even faster with heavier yarn.

Paffuto is a little boxier in shape giving your hair a little breathing room under there. Although 100% wool, the unplied Puffin is incredibly soft to the touch and I got no itchy forehead when I wore this around.

All three of these patterns are available on Ravelry for download, and hard copies will be sold exclusively in-store at , and Torti and Galeo online at Jones & Vandermeer.

3 hats are better than 1