Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,
I fell in love with this project by Julie Bierlein (check out her husband’s gorgeous artwork) the minute I saw it. Julie is a member of the Friends of Spud & Chloë group on Ravelry. When her skating hat made out of only 1 skein of Spud & Chloë Outer popped up in the shared project collage on the page I clicked on it right away. I contacted Julie to see if she would write up the pattern so I could share it with all of you. She said sure!!
Here is the story behind the Julie’s project straight from Julie herself:
When my mother moved from Roswell, New Mexico to Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1957, before her junior year in high school, she found that everything was different from her earlier school years – the clothes, her fellow students, their New England accent, etc. One of the girls clothing items she noticed right away was a knitted headband, called a “Skating Hat,” that covered the ears and tied under the chin. Not one for hats, she immediately purchased one and wore it frequently the last two years of high school. Recently I was down in her basement and saw her original headband sitting on top of a stack of books. Since one of the ties was broken making it unwearable, she asked if I could figure out the pattern and knit her another one – which of course I did.
Isn’t that a sweet story?
Someone’s stealing the spotlight in this photo! I’m just saying…. heartbreaker.
Click here to get the free pattern download on Ravelry for the Portsmouth Skating Hat!
I am going to make one for myself and one for each for my daughters. I’ll let them pick the colors. It is so innocent and old-fashioned looking. At the same time the skating hat is strikingly refreshing. I love old stuff made new again.
Have fun, Knitters!
Design Coordinator extraordinaire and resident social butterfly, keeping you up to date on her wee cousin Chloë and her pal Spud. Find her musings at 
Thanks so much for featuring this on your website!
Triple love!
From a gal that doesn’t wear hats…I’d wear this one ice skating!
It is a very sweet story and if I lived anywhere but Florida – I’d be making this darling skating hat. Of course with the winter we’ve had so far – I probably could use it while running to my car every day in the cold driving rain. thanks for a wonderful product and inspiring patterns. Melody
I love this! I may or may not end up making it. I am 12 and I do not know what my friends would say.
Keep up the Great work!!!!
I love this hat…. of course I love it. I live in Portsmouth New Hampshire. I loved reading your story about your mom.
That’s a very sweet story and a great hat! Thanks for sharing
Oh, my! I grew up in the 50′s, too. In 3rd grad, which was probably about 1958, my mom knit me an angora one. But we called them earwarmers here in Wisconsin. Angora was expensive and we didn’t have any money to spare so it was truly speial. All of the girls wanted one like mine. Thank you so much for the story and pattern, Julie! (I had a Boston terrier, too anmed Pudgie!)
Oh my, I wore a hat just like this as a kid growing up in Upstate NY. We actually wore them for ice skating and sledding and just about everything we did outdoors. What a trip down memory lane. I think I’ll make one for my granddaughter! thanks.
Pam
Aww, that IS a sweet story! I love it when people share their ideas, and nostalgic ones at that. Great job!
Boy, this pattern brings back memories!! In the early 1960′s when I was in grade school, my mother lovingly knit me what she called a “Swedish Jibber” in every color of angora that she could find. Red, blue and green were for after school to wear with my “play clothes” and white and black matched my dress coat which was saved for wearing to church, holidays and birthday parties. I still have her original pattern and I think after I make this skating hat, I’ll search for some lovely angora and make myself another Swedish Jibber – for everyday wear, of course, and to help me remember my lovely mom. Thank you!
This is it! I’ve been searching for this type of hat to make for a friend. We wore these as school buddies in the late 50′s Trouble is I need a crochet pattern. Can anyone help me? I’d be so grateful!
I love this hat, but really need a crochet version. I want to make one for a friend. Any help? Thank you!
I’ve just spent 3 hours looking for this pattern on different knitting websites! We called them jibbers in the ’60s and all the kids had them when we’d head to the skating rink after school, homework and dishes were all done.
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I bet your friends would be very impressed that you made something like this! Thanks for the nice comment, too.
Heck yes you should make it! You’d be a 12 year old rock star with a custom made ear warmer.
You can always tie it behind your head instead of under your chin. It looks great that way too.