so… a whole lot has been going on backend, including prepping for a whole new website (more on that shortly) managing a whole bunch of health issues (more on that another time, too) and working on a new collection for this September. I’ve barely had time or the headspace or energy to post here or on IG but I’m slowly getting to a point where I can stop chasing my tail for a few minutes a day.
The new collection is something I’m pretty excited about. And if I tell you that they’re vertically knit Hats in stranded colourwork, would you believe me? Well… they are. Which does kinda amuse me, given my feelings about stranded knitting.
The patterns are all tech edited and test knitted. What I’m looking for now are beta knitters - folks who fancy trying the pattern ahead of release! All errors will have been dealt with (two editors have very thoroughly gone over them) and we spent a lot of time working through how the pattern is laid out and presented, so I’m not asking you to test knit the pattern knowing there could be problems. I’m more interested to hear about your yarn choices, any adjustments you’ve made within the realms of the pattern (each has adjustment points marked) and how the final Hat fits.
Shall I stop talking and show you some teaser shots? Click on each image to enlarge.
Designing the crowns was one of the best parts of this project! That, and how the patterns flowed from the brim. I really didn’t enjoy knitting them but I really love the final results… which is kinda unusual for me, as I’m all about the process, rarely the final product.
Anyhows, the technical bits! Each of the patterns are currently numbered No.1 through to No.5, and they are shown in the same order in the gallery.
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Yarn
40yd/37m for a 6x6in/15x15cm
swatch in St.St in either colour
4ply, sock or light sport weight, plied yarn.
In each of these patterns, Yarn A is knit as the dominant yarn (i.e. in the left hand using two-colour method). Yarn B is the cast-on edge and is the passive yarn.
Each pattern features single stitch/row patterning, creating optical illusion effects. A plied yarn with some give is best. Choose yarns with high contrast to make the most of the pattern.
Needles & Notions
Set 2.5mm [2.75mm] DPNs/Circular or size needed to obtain gauge
Stitch marker as necessary
Tapestry needle
Sample details
All samples are shown in Malabrigo Arroyo [335yd/306m per 100g; 100% Superwash Merino]
Note
Different sizes in these patterns are achieved through gauge. Adjustment points have been noted to allow for changes in depth to compensate for differing gauges or adjustment in style.
Size & Gauge
To fit size: 20in/50.75cm; use 2.5mm needles
Gauge: 30 sts x 38 rows over Corrugated Rib,
32 sts x 34 rows over Stranded pattern &
30 sts x 38 rows over St.St. to 4in/10cm
Finished sizes:
Circumference: 16.75in/42.5cm
Length: 10in/25.5cm
To fit size: 22in/56cm; use 2.75mm needles
Gauge: 28 sts x 36 rows over Corrugated Rib,
30 sts x 32 rows over Stranded pattern &
28 sts x 36 rows over St.St. to 4in/10cm
Finished sizes:
Circumference: 18in/45.75cm
Length: 10.5in/26.75cm
Hat styles
None are fitted beanies, neither are they berets. Some have a little more slouch than others (e.g. No.1 and No.5) some have less (e.g. No.3 and No.4) but nearly all of them have repeatable sections where you can adjust the length. The only one that has less room for adjustment is No.1. Do bear in mind that fit and slouch are dependent on gauge, so you could get something different to that shown in the pattern - hence the adjustment notes.
Skills required
All patterns: knit & purl stitches, knitting in the round, increases & decreases, alternate cable cast-on, corrugated ribbing, stranded knitting techniques (incl. trapping long floats).
Patterns No.2 and No.5: lateral braid
Pattern contents
Written & charted instructions
(photographic tutorials for the techniques will be included in the eBook and will be available to download from this website for the single patterns. For the purposes of beta knitting, you will receive the relevant tutorials with the pattern)
Yardages
No.1 (orange & blue) Yarn A: 193yd/177m; Yarn B: 161yd/148m
No.2 (yellow & green) Yarn A: 160yd/147m; Yarn B: 145yd/133m
No.3 (magenta & silver) Yarn A: 143yd/131m; Yarn B: 134yd/123m
No.4 (pink & dark grey) Yarn A: 143yd/131m; Yarn B: 134yd/123m
No.5 (teal & magenta) Yarn A: 155yd/142m ; Yarn B: 150yd/138m
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Does any of this take your fancy? Then please read the (not so) small print!
(eta/ all beta knitters have now been selected and have received their files! This post is our central info point and will be updated in response to queries)
The tests will last for 4 weeks, finishing 13th September. There’s a google sign-up form below which will stay open for approximately 3 days/72hrs before it closes. There is also a feedback form (linked in the preview pattern) and that closes on 13th September.
I’ll be accepting up to 20 beta knitters for each Hat… folks will be selected at random and if you’ve 2nd preferences, please do indicate them on the form.
There’ll be a thread provided on Ravelry for chat and you can also use my group on Facebook but please know I’m not in a position to monitor them for issues, questions or feedback - please use the form provided for that (and you can edit the form any time) or comment on this post. I’m just not up to trying to be in 3 places at once and the feedback form is the best way for me to collect your notes. That said, use the spaces we have and do chat away and talk yarn with your fellow beta knitters!
(in the future, my new website will have a forum for test knitting, support and much more - we can use that in future but for now, Ravelry and Facebook are all I have)
Everyone who completes their beta knit will be gifted a copy of the final eBook! To complete the beta knit I’ll need to see a photo - there’s space for a link in the feedback form - and it needs to be finished before 13th September. If your completed Hat photo is a modelled shot that would be fantastic but it doesn’t have to be; but it does need to show the whole Hat and that can be done flat (or hanging from a tree or a washing line - be as creative as you like here!)
During the beta knit you can share on social media or add as a project on Ravelry. Please do not show any of the pattern or chart in the photos, though. Also, please do not share any of the photos provided within the pattern (i.e. the modelled shots).
There are hashtags for social media given in the pattern. The names on the patterns are not their final names so please don’t use those in hashtags - stick to the ones in the pattern for now.
eta/ the collection hashtag have been updated to #imperceptions
If there’s anything I’ve missed or not been clear about, leave a comment below and I’ll add more info to this post.
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Questions!
Some questions have come up from beta knitters, and I’ll post the responses here. Not everyone has access to Ravelry or Facebook or is using the discussion threads, and this post is our central info point.
Over 200 folks signed up, one pattern had nearly 70 sign-ups! I said No to more people than I said Yes to. Which was, wow, blimey. I wasn’t expecting that!
There are still over 100 beta knitters and only one of me, please remember to use the avenues provided for feedback and questions, otherwise I’m going to get overwhelmed and exhausted very quickly and lose track :)
Yarn Choices
I can’t help you with these! I will be getting a blog post up to help in choosing good contrasting yarns but beyond that, if you’re able to post in one of the discussion groups do and see what your fellow beta knitters say.
Remember, the patterns call for a plied yarn with good contrast.
Swatching
The gauges in the pattern are given in the round. However, rather than say you have to swatch in the round, I’d prefer that you approach knitting these patterns as you would any stranded Hat pattern.
Yes, gauge is important. But the patterns are graded through gauge, so whilst hitting gauge is ideal, not hitting gauge is a tool we can make good use of. If you don’t swatch (in the round or at all) please make a not of that. Please tell us what gauge you got, how your gauge changed (if at all) and how it affected the sizing. There won’t be any judgement from me for not swatching in the round, in fact your gauge changing could be useful feedback for us and other knitters, especially if it impacted size.
Techniques
If you do your Corrugated Ribbing differently, or manage your yarn the other way round, that’s all good - do it your way :) What’s important is that the right yarns follow through in the right places, and that the long floats don’t tighten up if left or don’t snag when worn.
The techniques I’ve included are there to help folks who are new to these methods - they’re not set in stone. As I say, it’s more important that the the yarns are in the right place at the right time.
In terms of the braid, as far as I know it’s an Estonian braid as it’s less involved, and the Latvian braid is more complex. But whenever I research to determine the differences the two methods are often muddled up and the names used interchangeably, so I went with calling it a Lateral Braid to avoid these issues.
Beta Knitters copies of the eBook
In the feedback form you’re asked which email address to send your gift copy, and/or your Ravelry account name. Please use either one of these and if you’re unable to receive the Ravelry download email due to triggers, leave a comment and I’ll find another way to get it to you.
If you wish to gift your copy that’s totally up to you - just add the relevant details into the email/Rav name fields and it’ll be done automatically when I send out the final copies. I will need to say, however, that you won’t be able to give away your beta knitting pattern due to copyright - that needs to stay with you.
Pattern Updates
No.1 has had an update this week, to correct an error in the initial instructions - it said Rnd 67 when it should have said Rnd 72.
No.5 has just had an update - the notes that accompany the chart say Yarn B for the lateral braid prep round, whereas it should be Yarn A to match the lateral braid; the written instructions and chart are correct. Yarn B is still used for the increase round.
Trapping Long Floats this hasn’t been updated but some folks are unsure about how often to trap the floats, so I will update the tutorial with additional notes. In the meantime, trap every 3 to 6 stitches.
Corrugated Ribbing and a curling cast-on - if you’re using the Alternate Cable cast-on as directed, you shouldn’t get any curling as it’s a ribbed cast-on, unless there’s a big difference between gauges of the cast-on and ribbing (which would make the cast-on edge fold up, rather than roll) - to avoid this, you could work the cast-on edge in a finer needle. I can add a note about this to the AC and CR tutorials.
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