The wicked witch hat is a symbol that has come to represent the epitome of evil and magic. Its conical shape, dark colors, and pointed brim make it instantly recognizable as a symbol of sinister power. Often depicted as worn by witches in popular culture, the hat has become iconic in its association with witchcraft. In literature and folklore, witches are frequently portrayed as wearing black or dark-colored clothing, and the hat is an essential part of their ensemble. It adds an air of mystery and danger to their appearance, emphasizing their otherworldly nature. The hat's pointy brim and tall, tapering crown give witches an imposing and threatening presence.
The first thing to recognize about sleeve caps is that some modifications to your sweater will cause them not to fit. The length of the curve around the top of the sleeve cap must be the same as the length of the armhole length on the front and back combined (within an inch, say). So if you change the armhole depth, or your row gauge is off, your sleeve caps might not fit.
The stepped bind-offs at the armhole edge should match the initial bind-offs on the sleeve caps for most sizes in some plus sizes, the second bind-off on the armhole is much longer than it makes sense to use on the sleeve cap. The variety of techniques and entertainment we provide is the driving force in building character, self-esteem, communication skills, and creating memories that will last a lifetime.
The hat's pointy brim and tall, tapering crown give witches an imposing and threatening presence. The origin of the wicked witch hat can be traced back to historical misconceptions about witches and their alleged practices. In medieval Europe, witches were believed to make pacts with the devil and engage in dark magic.
Ask Patty: Perfect Husbands and Easy Sleeve Caps
To many people, my “problem” is going to sound like I’m complaining about the burden of being too rich and too thin. What’s my problem? My husband loves my knitting too much. Specifically, he loves one TERRIBLE sweater I knit for him ages ago. It was the first sweater I ever knit, and it’s full of mistakes. I’ve since knit him many other much better sweaters, but he keeps wearing the terrible one. He’ll put it on when we are going out with friends and I try the “why don’t you wear this one” trick, but it never works. Worst of all, he’s always bragging about how I knit that abomination.
What do I do: spill red wine on it?
Embarrassed Ex-Bad Knitter (Sarah)
I know exactly how you feel. I had the same problem. My husband is proud of my knitting, yes, almost too proud. Whenever he would wear one of my knits out, there would be an exchange reminiscent of a David Rakoff story called “The Canadians Among Us.”
Party Guest: I was driving over here when a song from Bachman Turner Overdrive was—
David Rakoff: (cutting them off) They’re Canadian.
Party Guest: That’s a nice swea—
My husband: (cutting them off) Patty knit it.
I knit a monstrosity for my husband many years ago, and like you, I have since knit him many other, nicer sweaters. It was the second sweater I ever knit. It was hideous and he loved it. (Ironically, I am using the before and after pics of the sleeve cap in this very column to demonstrate a row gauge fail.) He wore it once to drop me off to teach at WEBS and I wouldn’t let him come inside.
So, what should you do? That depends on how fixable it is. Is it one element that can be ripped out and re-knit? I was able to do that with the terrible neckband. The first time, I thought picking up stitches was randomly shoving a needle from front to back. I also didn’t know that you weren’t supposed to decrease all the way at the edge.
Horror show neckline:
Re-knit when he wasn’t looking and I could rip out the neckband and redo it, pretending it had something to do with fixing a moth hole, neckline:
Or if it’s an all-over mess (as my husband’s sweater was) you might luck out like me and have moths eat it, or have it “lost” by the dry cleaners. But if he really loves it and it would make him sad, that might make you sad.
Perhaps if you could find the exact yarn, you could go the route of every parent with every dead goldfish. Replace it without his knowledge. Secretly knit an exact, but better version, replace it and bury the original.
If all else fails, perhaps you can tell him that he looks too sexy wearing it, and you’re not comfortable with him wearing it out, so let’s just make it our special “alone time sweater.” I mean how can he say no to that!
Godspeed my fellow embarrassed knitter/appreciated wife.
Look Ma, No Algebra!
Dear Patty,
Okay, I’ll bite. You mentioned in your gauge column that there was an “easy” math adjustment for not matching row gauge, even for the sleeve cap. I don’t think anything about gauge math is easy, so my question is, prove it.
Signed,
Better Not Say Pythagorean Theorem
Dear Better Not Say,
Not only is my method simpler than the Pythagorean theorem, it’s what I always call in my gauge class “cookie math.” First let’s break it down to three friendly formulas.
If you had 10 cookies on a plate and you had 5 friends coming over, how many cookies would each friend get?
1. Cookie Total/Friends = Cookie Portion
If you had 20 stitches in a 4-inch swatch, how many stitches are inside each inch (gauge)?
1. Stitches (or rows) Total/Inches = Gauge
If you had 5 friends coming over, and you knew each friend was getting 2 cookies, how many cookies you would need?
2. Friends x Cookie Portion = Cookie Total
If you knew your gauge was 5 stitches in an inch and you knew you wanted an 8″ scarf, how many stitches do you need to cast on?
2. Inches x Gauge = Stitches (or rows) Total
If you had 10 cookies, and you wanted to give each friend 2 cookies, how many friends could you have over?
3. Cookies Total/Cookie Portion = Friends
If you had a pattern that told you how many stitches or rows are in a specified section of knitting (e.g., 38 rows of a sleeve cap), how tall will it be if gauge is 6 rows per inch?
3) Stitches or Rows Total/Gauge = Inches
So if your row gauge is off and you want the sleeve cap to look the same, then that means you want your inches to be the same, but the number of rows worked will be different. (Since your cookie portion is different, your total cookies will be different!)
Four easy steps to success:
1. Count the number of rows in a shaping area.
2. Divide that by the pattern row gauge = inches the pattern used for that shaping zone.
3. Multiply the number of inches by YOUR row gauge = how many rows you have to accomplish the shaping.
4. Start tweaking.
The Problem
This can come in handy for many sweater parts, for instance a sleeve cap. Say the pattern gauge was 6 rows per inch, but you are getting 5.25 rows per inch.
No biggie right?
Wrong: biggie. Remember Seinfeld’s puffy shirt? Well, for the second sweater I ever knit, that’s what I created. It’s hard to tell in the picture, but when he was wearing it, it always looked a bit like a puff sleeve.
If the cap was supposed to be 5.5 inches, you can bet that there are 33 rows in the cap.
5.5 inches x 6 (gauge) = 33 rows
But if I just knit the cap as written, at my different row gauge, the cap would be 6.25 inches, a whopping .75 inch too tall. That’s just enough to make it a puffy sleeve when you try to set it in.
33 rows ÷ 5.25 (gauge) = 6.25 inches
The Fix
Now that we know what the problem is, let’s look at the easy steps to fix it.
1. Count how many rows are in the cap after the initial bind off at the sides. I counted 33 rows in the cap.
2. 33 rows ÷ 6 rows per inch = 5.5″ for the desired cap height.
3. Multiply the desired cap height by your actual gauge (e.g. 5.5″ x 5.25 rows per inch = 28.87). This means that if you knit a cap that is 29 rows, it will be the desired height.
4. So I’ll get rid of 4 rows, evenly across the cap. Sometimes when it tells me to decrease every other row, I might do that every row. If every 4th row, do it every 3rd row. Look at the instructions, and make a plan to achieve the same shaping over 4 fewer rows.
Thanks to the aforementioned moth attack, I took out the sleeves, ripped them back (using the excuse of needing to harvest more yarn) and re-knit the sleeve cap.
Original cap is in front; new, improved cap is in back.
No Pythagorean theorem, just a sophisticated version of fudging. If the cap is the right height, all is right with the world.
Patty in Your Pocket
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This can come in handy for many sweater parts, for instance a sleeve cap. Say the pattern gauge was 6 rows per inch, but you are getting 5.25 rows per inch.
The hat became a symbol of their association with dark forces, and it was believed to help channel their powers. In popular culture, the image of the wicked witch hat has been perpetuated and romanticized through various mediums. From the iconic depiction of the Wicked Witch of the West in "The Wizard of Oz" to modern interpretations of witches in television shows and books, the hat remains an integral part of the witch's persona. Despite its association with evil, the wicked witch hat has also become a popular fashion accessory during Halloween and costume parties. People of all ages enjoy dressing up as witches, incorporating the hat into their costumes to enhance their look and embrace the spooky spirit of the holiday. Overall, the wicked witch hat is a powerful symbol that represents the mystique and allure of witchcraft. Its dark and foreboding appearance captures our imagination and taps into our fascination with the supernatural. Whether used in fiction, folklore, or for dressing up, the wicked witch hat continues to hold a prominent place in the realm of witchcraft and magic..
Reviews for "Wicked Witch Hats: Not Just for Halloween Anymore"
1. Jessica - 1 star
I was really disappointed with the "Wicked Witch Hat" product. The quality was extremely poor and it looked like it was made from cheap materials. The hat didn't hold its shape and kept flopping over on my head. Additionally, the sizing was way off, and it was way too small to fit comfortably. I ended up having to return it because it was simply unwearable. I would not recommend this product to anyone.
2. Michael - 2 stars
I had high hopes for the "Wicked Witch Hat", but it didn't live up to my expectations. The design and appearance were great, but the construction was lacking. The hat started falling apart after just a couple of uses. The stitching came loose, and the brim started sagging. It's a shame because it could have been a fantastic costume accessory if it was better made. I would advise potential buyers to look for a more durable option.
3. Sarah - 1 star
I wish I could give the "Wicked Witch Hat" zero stars. It was a total waste of money. The hat arrived damaged with several noticeable scratches and dents. The paint job was not well done, and there were even areas with chipped paint. It looked cheap and poorly made. It didn't make for a convincing costume accessory at all. I regret purchasing this hat and would not recommend it to anyone looking for quality.