The Brainy Beanie

A hat to celebrate scientists and independent, analytical thinking!

Brainy Beanie hat: View from top

The March for Science is scheduled for April 22. What to wear?

We had pussyhats for the Women's March in January, but scientists need something a bit more...brainy? A little more 'smart' looking?

The Brainy Beanie was a concept hatched in....my brain... and proven in the making!

Using both knit and crochet techniques, the hat features a highly textured knitted brain-like design secured on a crocheted mesh-like skull cap. The open-work cap makes for lighter weight headgear that is also cooler and more appropriate for typical late April warmish weather.

For the same weather-related reason, I chose an acrylic yarn, Caron Simply Soft Party, Platinum Sparkle, which has metallic strands. The glinting strands highlight scientists’ sparks of genius and creativity.

The hat components are fast to make--and not difficult. You only need to know the simplest of crochet stitches and how to sew with a needle and thread. And the knit part? If you use a spool knitter, you don't even need to know how to knit.

Brainy Beanie, showing roundness and depth

Intimidated by yards of cord? Don't be deceived!  It is quickly knit on a very inexpensive spool knitter, such as the Caron Embellish-Knit! Machine, which are readily available at Jo-Anne Fabrics (use a coupon!), Amazon and Walmart--to name three sources. I bought mine for $15.

Don't want to buy the spool knitter? You can hand or machine knit the iCord.

Fair warning: Although the cap and the cord are quick to make, placing, pinning and securing the cords to the cap are where the time goes into making the hat.


Some people have questioned why I made this in gray. Well, for one, brains are commonly referred to as 'gray matter,' but the real reason this is gray is simple: I made this for a marcher who preferred the color gray. I'm looking forward to seeing one made up in pink, which by consensus seems to be the alternate choice.

I had fun making this--and it's pretty cool to wear, too. So I wrote up the pattern and posted it to Ravelry, where it is available for download. In the spirit of the March for Science,  all proceeds from the sale of this pattern go to the The Sierra Club.

Crocheted skull cap in progress, end of Row 12

Brainy Beanie, as worn

The pleasure of threads

In NYC last week for lunch, I took advantage of my recently retired status to spend an afternoon appreciating textiles. 

The Japan Week exhibit at Grand Central Terminal was a bonus. I hadn't expected it. But sometimes, those are the most fun. One popular offering was the guy dressed up as a samurai. Lots of people wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to dress up in a shorthand edition of the armor and stand for a photo with the fully-attired actor (at right). Lots of braids on both outfits. Traditionally, the suits were tied together with kumihimo braids hand braided of silk by guilds, which guarded their traditions and skills almost to the death of the braiding techniques.

Next stop was the Fashion Institute of Technology Museum for a some costuming inspiration. 

Faking It: Originals, Copies, and Counterfeits, an exhibit of about 100 objects from the museum's collection, explores the world of original designs vs. licensed copies vs. imitations. As one of the museum's video announcers says, 'you can't copyright color or shape' so it's very difficult to prosecute counterfeiters. In many cases, it's very difficult to tell the difference between the original design and a knock-off. And it's getting harder all the time.

The exhibit's entry features two suits--one a 1966 original day suit by Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel (France), day suit (left) and a licensed copy made in the US in 1967. So what's the difference? According to the information plaque, the differences are in the sewing techniques, the lining and the waistband.

Even more interesting to me than the side-by-side originals and copies, was considering the pieces as design possibilities. For example, the late 18th century Jean-Baptiste Huet original L'Hommage de L'Amerique a la France, at right, has a stunning little bolero-type jacket, but check out the free-standing lace on the sleeve's underside seam.

'Massclusivity'

Two Missoni dresses illustrate the 'massclusivity' trend in which high-end designers partner with mass-market retailers to extend their name and styles downstream. The 2003 Italian-made version is displayed next to a dress that was part of a 400-piece limited edition collaboration between Missoni and Target in 2011. The 'look' is certainly similar, but the fabrics and knitting techniques distinguish the high quality original.

The other exhibit, Yves Saint Laurent + Halston: Fashioning The ’70s, was nostalgic. Their names alone conjures up images of the era's styles. Cleaner, crisper lines, for one. The exhibit focuses on shared themes, one of which was the influence of menswear on women's fashion.

Faking It: Originals, Copies, and Counterfeits is on view through April 25, 2015.
Yves Saint Laurent + Halston: Fashioning The ’70s is on view through April 18, 2015.