As for hats, my mom gave me a couple skeins of Blizzard... a super super chunky alpaca/acrylic yarn with some size 15 double pointed needles. She taught me to connect the cast on stitches in the round and to decrease (knit 2 together). Hats are much easier than you think once you know how to connect a work in the round and decrease.

I find circular needles easier than double pointeds, but you'll still DP's to finish the hat! Maybe go into a yarn shop and ask for a pattern suggestion for a beginner hat knitter?