Thursday, February 23, 2017

Quatrefoil Cowl

Quatrefoil Cowl
Quatrefoil Cowl

What can I say about this yarn? The minute I saw the color I KNEW I HAD TO HAVE IT, even though this yarn weight (worsted) in a mostly-cotton blend can be hard to design for (Why? Because lace isn't very crisp in this weight, the lack of stretch compared to wool makes it less ideal for cables, etc). So I had to play around with a few patterns before I came up with something I liked, but I enjoy the way this combination of a picot hem and a basic eyelet design creates a feminine, but not overly girly, aesthetic. Of course, just because I used a mostly-cotton fiber doesn't mean you're stuck with that choice; this design would look equally good with wool, and would probably even take the right variegated yarn as well... 

Oh, and before I forget - special thanks to my friend Nikki at Zender Studios for helping me with the pics! :)

Yarn: Lana Grossa 365 Yak (66% Cotton, 12% Yak, 22% Polyamide; 159 yards [145 meters]/50 grams); #004 - 2 skeins

Quatrefoil Cowl
A better look at the eyelets.
Needles: 16" or 20" circular needle in size US 9

Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch marker

Gauge: 18 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette

So let's make a cowl! First, then, we're going to start with a picot hem. You can find tons of tutorials for this online if you need extra help, but I'll walk you through the steps here as well. So, to begin, cast on 96 stitches loosely, place marker, and join in round. Knit five rows around. Then, work the following row:

Thursday, February 2, 2017

Arrowhead Hat

Arrowhead Hat
Arrowhead Hat
Pictured in Adult Large (that's why Hedwig's in
her big hair today)

The story behind this hat is simple: I have a friend who struggles to find a hat big enough for her hair, and I happen to know an independent knitwear accessory designer who loves to make people stuff they can't seem to find in stores (hint: it's me!). So, basically, the Arrowhead Hat is designed with plenty of slouch and two different sizes to accommodate as much or as little hair as you'd like to put inside of it.

Sizes: Adult Small (Adult Large) 

Yarn: Sommer Merino 125 (100% Superwash Wool; 136 yards [125 meters]/50 grams); #167 - 2 skeins (both sizes)

Arrowhead Hat
A better look
at the back.
Needles: One 16" circular needle in size US 5, one 16" circular needle in size US 6, and one set of double pointed needles (dpns) in size US 6

Notions: Tapestry needle, 1 stitch marker

Gauge: 22 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette on size US 6 needles

And that makes it hat time! Using your size US 5 needle, then, cast on 112 (128) stitches loosely, place marker, and join in round. Then we'll work some ribbing, as follows:

Ribbing Row: * k1, p1; rep from *

Knit this ribbing row until piece measures roughly 2.5" in length, and then transfer work to your size US 6 circular needle. Then we'll begin our main pattern, which is a combination of Arrowhead Lace and Little Arrowhead Lace from page 193 of Barbara G. Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns, and goes as follows:

Row 1: knit