I was able to start the first mutssjaal! The pattern is written so that the hat section is knitted flat from the top down and then seamed up the back. I began with only about 28 stitches (increasing every few rows), so I was able to make an encouraging amount of progress in one sitting. But now I've got 128 stitches, so it's much slower going!

I love the way it's coming out. I picked out the colors all by myself in hopes of making the boys' on-sale black winter coats look like they match their on-sale blue winter mittens. My only complaint so far is that the thing is done completely in 1x1 ribbing, and boy are my arms tired (ba-dum-bum)!