It looks beautiful, but I learned my lesson. Cotton, or heaven forbid acrylic, use baby yarn that can be thrown in the washing machine. Save the good stuff for the heirloom blanket or sweater.

i definitely don't think the colour changes detract from the pattern at all. and as for choice of colour, i have to admit that i am biased because i am the mother of 2 sons who wore outfits of purple and magenta (offset with a semi-masculine green or blue shade)on a regular basis. so i vote yes, on the purple!
ps: what is the easiest/fastest/cheapest way to get to rhinebeck?

Beautiful! Color changes are awesome. Colorway is great for boy or girl. Hopefully they're nice enough people that they'll appreciate that you not only designed the hat but also spun the wool. Don't they already think you're a rock star for being published time after time?? heh Uhh.... what else? Muggles don't really have an eye for what yarn should look like much anyway. We love it and you love it. That should be enough but of course endless praise from the new parents would be a nice bonus. :)

Wow. I think it is incredible and perfect. Really. And there's sometihng about that handspun that is so beautiful, even non knitters will know.

1. It is gorgeous
2. It is absolutely okay for a boy, but then again all my boys like pink!
3. Wool is fine, make a lovely label with washing instructions, stating in big letters that the wool was handspun by you, even muggles appreciate it.
4. It looks pretty perfect from here, my guess is they won't notice the things you do.

I think it's lovely and purty and they better appreciate that it used to be just fluff before you got your hands on it! Handwashing instructions might be handy.

Oh, ignore all those worries of yours. You spun that yarn and knit that hat because YOU love spinning and knitting, and because you love the parents-to-be, you wanted to give them something YOU cherish. So be it.

If you still feel guilty, go buy them blue onesies with football logos all over.

ugh, I lost my comment! trying again.
1. no!
2. yep
3. hats don't get dirty- I don't think I've even washed one for a tiny baby. Anyway in the UK she probably has a front loader and you can machine wash anything in them.
4. You might have to tell them it's handspun so they can say "ooh" but it's lovely.

1. nope

2. yep

3. How dirty does a hat get anyway? I don't think I'ver ever washed a hat, in 3 kids. Nevertheless, if they live in the UK/Europe, they probably have a front loader, and you can throw anything into those safely.

4. they might not "get" the handspun, but that's their loss. It's not like it's weird looking handspun.

5. That hat will certainly fit one of MY kids ;-).

I think it is cute as heck, and I don't think the color fights the pattern. If you are really concerned that they might not get the wool thing you could line it. You could probaby sew a store bought baby hat in as a lining.

i think it's perfect and would not worry about any of it. lots of people (brooklyn tweed for one) are knitting in non-traditional baby colors. purple is perfect for a boy. especially if he has that scottish fair skin, blue eyes, dark hair thing going.

1. No
2. Yes
3. Maybe? Perhaps give them a little bottle of Eucalan to make the transition.
4. They better not!

1. No.
2. Yes.
3. Is it washable? I'd guess new parents wouldn't be too excited about handwash-only baby items.
4. No.

It's lovely, totally gender neutral, beautiful, and wool shouldn't be a problem because aside from grabbing it off their head and drooling on it, it's one of the less accessible pieces of clothing for a little one to get dirty ;)
I love it!

I like the variegated yarn with the pattern, and the colours look sufficiently fine to me, and on my computer it looks like there's a lot of blue there anyway. Can't help with 3 & 4 though, except to say that it doesn't look wonky to me -- does that make me a muggle? Anyway, I hope you've started on the sweater because it's lovely.

Not only would I not hesitate to put it on a boy, but I had a mother request a similar colorway for a hat I made for her little boy. I wouldn't worry about the wool, since babies wear the hats for such a short time, and it probably won't even need to be washed. If it does need a wash, it wouldn't be a hardship to handwash it, since it's so small. As for the yarn, it doesn't look imperfect to me! I think it's a charming hat.

No
Hmm... you know the parents, so you'd be a better judge.
Ach, no dearrr!
No way.

Great pattern!

1. No.
2. Yes.
3. No. Be sure to include washing instructions.
4. No. If they do, it's their inability to appreciate handmade garments full of love.

It's lovely!

1. I think the variegation goes well with the pattern. :)
2. It reeeeeally depends on the parents. I know some people who are very liberal when it comes to dressing their children, and then there are those who refuse to let their young boys touch anything that isn't a primary color.
3. Everyone's commented on the allergy thing... but it should be ok.
4. Ah. It really depends. Some people would really appreciate it, some not so much. Depends. Are they crafty? Do they understand what it means to sit down and spend hours laboring over yarn? And you know, your handspun isn't wonky!

I think the hat is great for a boy or a girl, and your handspun works wonderfully with this pattern. To me, the only concern is whether the parents are up to the proper care and feeding of the garment. You are being too hard on your work. It is wonderful, and not wonky at all.

1. Nope. In fact, the color changes mirror/compliment the pattern in the centered dark circle surrounded by the lighter blue.

2. Yes. If they dress the baby in traditional "boy" colors it'll look more blue, but if it's a girl and they dress her in traditional "girl" colors then the hat will look more purple. Win-win situation!

3. I don't think so. How often do you need to wash a baby's hat, anyway?

4. It looks like handspun is actually fairly regular (although I'm not a spinner) and not really wonky at all. But like someone above said, it depends on the parents and their style. I love it though.

1. Nope. Looks great!
2. I think it's perfect for either!
3. I doubt it. I would worry more if it was something like a sweater that would need to be hand washed more often.
4. I doubt they'll appreciate the effort that went into the handspun, but I don't think they'll dislike it. I have learned to give people the benefit of the doubt as I knitted a Baby Surprise Jacket for people I thought might be a little snobby about the whole hand-knitted look, and they loved it. Mostly I think people appreciate the thought and effort you went to in the name of their soon to be cherished family member.

1. Nope. Looks great!
2. I think it's perfect for either!
3. I doubt it. I would worry more if it was something like a sweater that would need to be hand washed more often.
4. I doubt they'll appreciate the effort that went into the handspun, but I don't think they'll dislike it. I have learned to give people the benefit of the doubt as I knitted a Baby Surprise Jacket for people I thought might be a little snobby about the whole hand-knitted look, and they loved it. Mostly I think people appreciate the thought and effort you went to in the name of their soon to be cherished family member.

It looks beautiful / awesome and yes fit for a boy in my book! I agree that a Scottish mom will know and appreciate the virtues of wool as well as the effort you took to spin and knit the hat for her newborn. Cut that yarn and weave in the ends :-)

My only worry would be that a sleep deprived parent would toss a handspun delicacy straight into the wash. I love the colors, they look very unisex to me, but you know the recipient, so go with your gut there.

I love it. Wool is good, color is good, pattern is good. The color changes look magical and lovely, not accidental or wonky, promise!

The handspun thing - I think they will appreciate it - I work with a bunch of muggles who couldn't care less about my knitting, but when I point out that I also spun the wool for my hat they get all excited about it. To paraphrase their viewpoint - any old granny can knit, but spinning is a kind of magic. I think they'll love that part.

As for the other questions:
1) Nope - it's gorgeous
2) It's fine
3) I'd only worry about itchiness (not sure what the mother's Scottishness has to do with it...) Even if it is handwash only, hats don't really come in for the same sort abuse as anything below the neck.
4) See above.

It's beautiful.

I think it's truly lovely and that any mum would be thrilled with such a beautiful gift! If the babe has Scottish genes then it's bound to love wool!! (said from a Scot...we're hardy folk you know)

1. No, the intensity in the center is perfect.
2. I think it would look great on either gender.
3. They will probably love it. As long as you think mum will be into the handwashing.
4. I don't know. I think it is gorgeous and unique. Just the sort of special thing a wee one should have.

1. Nope
2. Yep
3. Hope not
4. Nope

It's gorgeous. Boys can wear purple. Besides, I think I see hints of yellow and/or green in there—definitely unisex.

1. Not at all ... it's lovely!

2. I think it's borderline, but I have a very traditional pink=girl and blue=boy thing going on. It's not what I would pick, but if it was gifted to a boy of mine, I'd still dress him in it.

3. Do they have to hand-wash it? If not, wool is fine. If it's hand-wash only, how do you think they would feel? Some people don't care, while others would never dress a baby in something that they know they'll have to hand-wash later on.

4. Do they know that you are a knitter/spinner? If so, I bet they're hoping for something handknit! Remember too that your idea of "uneven" isn't what a muggle will see.

I think it's beautiful and would be proud to put it on a boy or a girl. But I am a knitter, and don't get muggles most days.

1. No I think the colours are great with the pattern.
2. I'm not sure about putting this colour on a boy, even though there is some blue, I'm seeing a lilac/pinkish colour in there that might cause concern for some.
3. Other the the allergies which have already been mentioned and washability issues I think that a soft wool is much better and will be much warmer, and a mother of scottish decent will be aware of wool's warmth vs acrylic.
4. I think that people appreciate hand made things in general especially if this is a member of your family who probably knows something about the time and effort that goes into something like this. You seem to have great consistency in your spinning because looking at this hat i see no imperfections at all. As was said already it will depend on the person receiving, but I personally think that it's beautiful.

I think the vareigation/gradation looks great, especially at the crown where it has radiating circles within the star. I agree with what everyone else has said EXCEPT I think that the handspun is stunning, and no one is likely to notice if it's not perfect except for you. I think they will fully appreciate its uniqueness. I know I would (and though I do knit, I don't spin.)

I don't know your relatives to know if they'd appreciate it, but that is one of the most beautiful baby hats I have ever seen, and I would definitely put it on a boy (Though I just bought my son pink polkadot pajamas because there was a very limited selection of prints, so you can take my opinion with a large grain of salt...)

What a special present for your cousin's baby. Now onto your questions.
1. No. The gradations in color are gentle. It's not rainbow koigu like which would have been too much.
2. Yes. The purple doesn't seem too purple and there are enough blue notes to make it masculine.
3. Allergy concern as cited above, but otherwise as long as it's soft, don't see a problem. Washability is another concern. Not sure if a new mom would want to handwash clothing.
4. Hmmm. Tough to say. I think handspun is beautiful and that your knitting your own pattern with yarn you spun (and dyed?) yourself is extra special, but maybe if you don't hand craft, you wouldn't appreciate it.

1. No, I think the color changes look fine with that pattern.

2. Heck yes.

3. Only concern is that the baby may be allergic to wool, but I don't know why it would be a problem other than that.

4. That one depends on the person, and since you know them you're the best judge of that. Some people get it, some don't.

I think the hat looks spectacular!

Unless the parents are hand workers, I don't honestly know if they'd appreciate hand spun. Sorry, Kate. Hat's stunning, though. My heavens.