New Pattern: Etoile Hat

I'm on a roll this month, I have published another hat pattern.  This one is Etoile Hat, a slouchy beanie worked in eyelet concentric stars.  I really like the yarn, Andean Treasure, it is a warm and fuzzy sport weight alpaca yarn in a very intense shade of blue.  I wanted to stray from my usual rib band and instead tried out a ridged eyelet stripe.  This pattern was definitely not smooth sailing.  I started out with a completely different yarn and different chart.  The star pattern just wasn't working, and three charts and two froggings later (with a change of yarn in between) I ended up with this lovely finished product.  



FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Circumference: 22”
Length: 8”


SKILLS NEEDED
ability to read a chart 
working in the round 
yo 
ssk 
k2tog 
sl 1, k2tog, psso

Upcoming Design: Etoile Hat

Today is a gloomy and rainy February day.  It is hard to think that Spring will soon be here.  As a designer I have to start thinking about warm weather designs despite the chill outside.  I have one wintery design left, which I am currently in the process of typing up and will hopefully soon have ready for publishing.  It is Etoile Hat, worked in concentric eyelet stars with an eyelet striped brim.  These are just preliminary photos to make sure the hat would photograph well.  If weather permits, I will hopefully be able to take photos in a pretty setting with a nicely styled outfit and a face full of makeup.

 

New Pattern: Kilbourne Hat

Kilbourne Hat is a unisex close fitting beanie that utilizes twisted stitches to create a zig zag pattern. Beginning with a twisted rib, it is worked in the round from the bottom up with a crown that is worked in progressively smaller zig zags. Kilbourne Hat is very stretchy, so should be worn with 1-2” negative ease.  This unisex design is a very quick knit, so if you need a last minute Valentine's Day gift this could be it!


I went through several versions of this design.  The original crown shaping was overly complicated on paper and looked like a bit of a mess when knitted up.  After lots of erasing and redrawing on the chart, I ended up with a simpler version that I think is very pleasing.  


$4  


Skills needed: 
ability to read a chart 
working in the round 
k2tog 
ssk 
knowledge of twisted stitches is helpful but not necessary


Materials:
150-200 yards worsted weight wool or wool blend yarn
US #5/3.75 mm 16" circular needle
US #6/4 mm set of dpn and 16" circular needle