Qeleshe

A qeleshe is a type of hat that people from Albania like to wear. It's kind of like a beret, but it's made out of wool and looks a bit rounder on top. The reason people wear qeleshe is to keep their heads warm when it's cold outside, and sometimes to show pride in their Albanian culture.

Making a qeleshe takes a lot of work! First, you have to get some wool and wash it really well to get it clean. Then, you have to card the wool, which means brushing it out so all the fibers are lined up nicely. After that, you spin the wool into long strands of yarn, and then you knit those strands together into a big circle.

Once you have a big circle of knitted wool, you use a special kind of needle to gather up the top, kind of like making a drawstring bag. Then you stitch the gathered part really tightly so the hat won't fall apart.

Finally, you can decorate the hat if you like. Sometimes people add little balls or tassels to the top, or they embroider designs around the edge. Then your qeleshe is all finished and you can wear it proudly!