Cabled beanie hats

Mum gave me a hank of handspun Scottish sheep yarn.  I had planned to felt it, but it refused to felt shrink or anything at 90 degrees.   It's not like the sheeps fleece is tropical, of course it may have been treated.  However it didn't feel like it was, it smelled of pure wool and has the course texture to boot.  It irritates my skin, so what the heck?

I had to come up with something so I worked the cable of a previous sweater, which I'm pretty sure I've done before.  Joined it with kitchener stitch, well my attempt to create the invisible join.

I then picked up and worked in the round on DPNs, decreasing every other row until I thought enough were worked.  Then decreased every row and finishing off by threading the yarn through the remaining few stitches.  It's driven my skin nuts, but was worth it.  It will make a great winter hat for someone and is available to buy in my Etsy store 

I also started a second one from a vogue knitting pattern, although I thought the instructions wrong and changed the chart order to mirror the first half.  I worked in the round, rather than one 2 needles like it asked.  I'm not a fan of seams in hats, so the less the better. 

I made a little pom pom for the top. I'm not too keen on the end result myself, but then I'm a cable fan and this isn't a cable.  I'm sure it will settle and look better after the wash.  Then I'll put it up in my Etsy store, that is if anything sells in the next few months!  I feel a little out of my depth with Etsy.

I still have some left, but not sure it will make a whole skull cap.  I do have some grey flecked yarn that I could use and put this yarn in as the design, for whatever chart I use.