Mark’s Trilobite “Skull Cap”

Aly just finished a new knit cap for me, one that has a different application than any other cap I’ve ever owned.

To create this particular cap, Aly chose a trilobite design by Hannah Mason (né Ingalls).

Hannah Ingalls Mason's trilobite cap

Trilobite “skull” cap (Photo: Sarah A. Zeiger).

Sometime in the spring I decided to continue my current “hair style,” shaving my head regularly for a while longer. I’d let my hair grow for about six weeks starting shortly after returning from our trip to help my parents in March.

Hannah Ingalls Mason trilobite cap design

A happy hat owner! (Photo: Sarah A. Zeiger).

I immediately noticed that even that meager growth had insulated my scalp somewhat against the cold. In the cool spring days, my head got noticeably chilly. Not so cold that I needed a wool hat, nor did a baseball cap suffice on some days; I needed just the right head covering to counter a cool, windy Southeast Alaskan day, even in summer.

Luckily for me, Aly’s here, and she knits a lot (see her free-form dinosaurs and other animal toys here). When she finished her latest project, I told her my problem. She found an elegant solution!

Generally, when Michelle or Aly knits a cap for me, I ask them to make it long enough to fold up and cover my ears entirely and thickly. This time, I wanted a skull cap, something that covered my scalp but not my ears. I also wanted it thin and light. She chose acrylic yarn (every other knit cap I own must be wool!) in a color I’d been drooling over since she used it on another project. And, because she and I have always loved fossils, she chose a trilobite design.

trilobite knit cap, Hannah Ingalls Mason

Trilobite skull cap, another view (Photo: Sarah A. Zeiger).

She altered the pattern slightly: she shortened the ribbed brim so that it didn’t cover my ears, and she omitted the bobbles that helped define the trilobite eyes. And, voilà!

The day we took these photos was the warmest we’ve had this year. Afterward, I went back to work in the forest shade. My new cap kept my head perfectly warm: my scalp felt completely neutral, neither cold, nor warm. And, if I do say so myself, I looked pretty good!

Hannah Ingalls Mason's trilobite knit cap

He fears no zephyr now! (Photo: Sarah A. Zeiger).

Ironically, the first thing friends ask when they first see my shaved head is if I don’t get too cold. I originally shaved just after Christmas, entering the coldest months of our year. With the help of warm hats when necessary, I had no discomfort. Odd that I would notice the cold more as we move in to summer; maybe it’s a simple matter of expectations?

At any rate, with my new trilobite skull cap, I’m ready whatever the weather.

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5 Responses to Mark’s Trilobite “Skull Cap”

  1. Angie says:

    Hey Mark, you DO know the Ray Troll “Trilobite” song, don’t you?
    Yes. There is a trilobite song.

  2. Mark Zeiger says:

    Angie, I’m a huge fan of Ray’s art, and have heard some of his music, but have never had control of the disc; so, I might have heard it, but I don’t know that I have. I’m not at all surprised he wrote such a song!

  3. Dick Pilz says:

    As someone who has been follicly-challenged for decades, I highly recommend you wearing head gear when the sun is out. It’s no fun having your head glow in the dark after too much sun.

  4. Mark Zeiger says:

    You’re right, Dick. On top of that danger, I have trouble at the other end: Michelle insists that after more than two years, my scalp still shows white where my hair used to be. I’m trying to get some sun on it, but not too much. I walk a thin line, on either side of which, my head glows in the dark!

  5. Dave Zeiger says:

    This hat has been awarded the official TRILOBOATS up-thumb of approval! (Nice work, Aly!!)

    Dave Z

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