As I mentioned the other day, I am currently working on the hat that matches the Kitty Hawk mitts I recently finished. I’m using the same yarn (Bugga!). The hat has a really interesting construction technique: You knit the hat band (in the round like a stockinette scarf knit in the round) then pick up stitches for a front panel, back panel, and side arch panels, finally seaming the panels together to form the crown of the hat. I think it’s turning out super cute so far:
That’s the back of the band and the back panel (about 1.5 repeats of five done). I have to do some creative stitching to clean up the back seam (the directions should direct you to graft it but it doesn’t), but other than that, I think it looks nice. Here’s what the front looks like:
It curled something awful when I was done knitting the band, but HOLY GOD STEAM BLOCKING IS AMAZING. I’m pretty sure I’ve extolled the virtues of steam blocking before, but let me just say again: AMAZING. You lay out your knitting, hold a hot iron over it, push the steam button and push everything into place. And then it is DONE and it is BLOCKED. No waiting forever for it to dry. No pinning. No desperate squeezing to get excess water. Steam and DONE.
Amazing.
Stitch, Brinn, Stitch! 
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March 28, 2011 at 12:35 pm
Sooz
I was taught another trick which works especially well with thicker seams….wet a washcloth (or cloth of any kind, I suppose), squeeze out excess water (avoid the drippy issue) and lay the cloth over the areas and then press with hot iron.
(that technique worked really well with the I too didn’t knit in the mud ruffle area of the spiffy spats)
Since my iron isn’t very steamy . . been wondering if purchasing a hand-held clothing steamer would make the lovely wilty thing happen on knits.
March 28, 2011 at 12:39 pm
bsveum
I was just mentioning a similar technique to someone the other day whose iron isn’t very steamy. You just have to add water somewhere. I imagine spritzing the thing itself would also work.