Earflaps... we don't need no stinking earflaps!

Yes, that is the start of a chullo. Specifically the Polar Chullo from Twist Collective.

I don't knit a lot of fair isle. There are many reasons. I'm not a fan of multiple strands of yarn at one time (and one of the reasons I don't use hand dyed yarns often, thanks to having to alternate rows). I'm a slave to the pattern with fair isle. It's like doing cross stitch where every stitch has to be counted and done correctly (and ripping back is a royal pain in the tuckus). Oh, and it doesn't help that I pretty much suck at it.

However, Matt is a HUGE fan of the fair isle style. Yes, he likes the cabled projects I knit him. He likes cables just fine, but he's been wanting me to knit him a fair isle project for some time now. He's also been wanting a chullo for a while as well. It will keep his ears nice and warm on those cold morning dog walks. So I figure this would be a good project for me to practice my fair isle skill and kill two birds with one stone for him (btw: he still wants a fair isle vest and/or sweater. He thinks the chullo will be good practice for me).

Well.... I started the Polar Chullo as per the directions. Starting with the earflaps. Which of course are knitted flat. On size 1 (US) needles. Did I mention I SUCK at fair isle. Add working flat to that and after 7 attempts (no exaggeraton), I realized that this chullo was going nowhere fast. Enter the brilliance of a crochet cast on (my favorite cast on, btw). I decided to do the body of the hat, then do the earflaps top down later. Why do it now when I can procrastinate (that's always been my motto!). So we'll see how it goes, but I'm already well underway with 11 rounds done (and only had to tink back one row!).

If all else fails, he'll get solid or striped earflaps, but at least he'll have some cute polar bears on his dog walks!