Introducing the Imperceptions Hats - meet Daedalus

Publication date is only a few weeks away, so it’s time to start sharing a few more photos and telling you the stories behind each Hat!

The first Hat, affectionately known as No.1, is Daedalus.

Sideways view of Daedalus, the first of the Imperceptions Hats. It features a maze like optical illusion.

Front view of the Daedalus stranded colourwork Hat

This wasn’t the first Hat in the collection that I designed and knitted, but it is the first one that summed up what I wanted this collection to be. With these last few collections I’ve noticed this pattern developing, that it isn’t until the 2nd design off the needles that the collection slots into place, finds it’s direction or however you’d describe. This can often mean that the collection changes direction from what I originally intended (that’s what happened with the Elemental collection) and that’s ok - I’ve learnt to run with it, not fight it. And just like the Elemental collection, the first design was ripped out and redesigned (that Hat became Korra in the Elementals, and it became No.3 with these patterns)

With this design, this collection became a series of optical illusion Hats that only used single stitch and single row pattern. They also all took on an internal structure of 7, for the crown shaping and repeats. They’d always been optical illusions but some had 2 stitch or two row patterning; some were based on the number 5, while others were based on the number 7. With this design, they took on a firmer uniformity, which in turn helped me with gauge, sizing and more. I like it when they all slot into place like this, it ticks the right boxes in my head and things feel connected. And I’m of the believe that it’s these connections that make these collections popular…. although I don’t have any evidence to support that! But I’m sure I can’t be the only one who sees these things as pleasing.

rear view of the Daedalus stranded colourwork Hat pattern, showing the crown detail.

Front left view of the Daedalus Hat

Each of the patterns in this collection are graded through gauge, and two sizes are included. I’ll be more than happy to talk about gauge further on the forums (currently Ravelry is still the main support point but we will get our own forum here in the not too distant future).

I also wanted to add in adjustment points to alter the depth of the Hat, should you wish, to compensate for gauge, style or fit. Both the Inversion and Convergence collections include similar points and feedback about those has been positive. Each of the Hats lent themselves to this differently, and for a few of them I needed to completely redraw and/or restructure the charts to add in repeat points! But it was worth it, as it makes them much more useful patterns.

Daedalus is the one with the least amount of adjustment options…. dues to it’s pattern - which is akin to two mazes reflected/rotated from each other, one growing from the brim, the other merging into the crown - and the scale of these has meant that they can’t be repeated like some of the other patterns can. There is an alternative starting point, which reduces the length by reducing the first maze, so there’s definitely an option there that can be enhanced/adjusted further by row gauge, but this one is probably always going to be on the slouchy side.

This Hat is named for Daedalus, the crafter and architect of Greek legend that created the Labyrinth at Knossos. Trace your finger through Daedalus’ labyrinth, and you will find that not every entrance has an exit.

I’m pretty excited to be sharing these with you, talking about them here on the blog and getting ready to publish them. Anxiety is doing it’s thing, too, but that’s mostly under control.

Next up will be Hat No.2.