New year, new release

There’s been a lot of life stuff happening over the last few months, in particular the last month - a LOT. I’m still catching up with myself and have plenty I want to talk about and share, but I thought I’d get things rolling again with a new pattern release. Meet Riverbero!

Riverbero is knit sideways, using slipped stitches for the colourwork, which is not difficult at all. It's all stocking stitch so you can use the regular grafting method and whichever your favourite short row method is.

What's really cool about this design, apart from that striking pattern and gorgeous crown, is that it's almost infinitely re-sizeable for any yarn, gauge or size!

Like all my other sideways patterns, it's constructed from panels. With this one the panel is slim and easily memorable due to the short slip stitch colourwork repeat. The short pattern repeat and narrow panels allow plenty of room for adjustment making it highly customisable.

I knit this sample in Ripples Crafts Yarn Merino Sport and I *love* the way Helen's colours work together. If you can't get hold of any, or have some other yarns in your stash that you'd like to use then you can - all you need to do is check your gauge & go from there!

This pattern was designed towards the end of 2020, and the photographs taken in February 2021. I've waited to release it, hoping to develop a video class to go with it, as I think it would make an ideal workshop pattern. However about 2 years ago we started experiencing problems that impacted my ability to work in my studio, and so video classes had to be halted as we struggled to get noise or interruption free recordings, which was a real shame. No matter what we did, we just couldn’t get a decent run without interruptions. Going forward we'll have the freedom to pick up online workshops again and produce new ones - which is one of the big things I want to talk about! - but I don't know yet when that'll be and I don't want to wait any longer so the pattern's coming next week!

Members of The Woolly Hat Society will get an exclusive discount - if you're not already a member you might wanna join now.

Patreon supporters on the 'Chullo' tier and up will be able to use their monthly members' reward code to get the pattern for free - the upper tiers each get a coupon code every month to the value of a single pattern, so it’s well worth the membership price.

It's January Sale time!

Indeedy, it’s that time of year when I offer a huge discount across ALL of my products - digital pattern, eBooks and online workshops - to kick start your knitting year and say thanks for your support throughout 2022.

Use code HatLessNotMe to get 25% discount until midnight CET 31st January 2023. The code can be used on Etsy, Payhip, Ravelry and Teachable, as well as this website.

If you've ever wondered why I ask you not to share exclusive codes, or why they're time limited, the Yarn Database wrote a great article about the ins and outs of the running a sale as a small business. It's worth a read, and honestly their whole website is worth a visit!

And don't forget, as I'm a VAT registered publisher, you won't have any VAT added if you shop at Payhip, Teachable, my website or Ravelry (as a publisher most of my products are zero-rated or tax exempt, so I'm not out of pocket either). And if you shop on Payhip or my website, you won't pay any GST or sales tax! So you don't need to pay any extra based upon where you happen to live. Which is something that’s pretty important to me.

(but Etsy will add *all* the taxes, and Ravelry will add GST. It's messy, I know. I'd really like it if they didn't, but these are out of my control.)

Have fun shopping!

Free Pattern - the Ridged Slouch

All of the free patterns and tutorials on this website are supported by my amazing Patreons! If it wasn't for them I wouldn't be able to continue to produce or host freebies. We'd love to have you join us and in return, you get exclusive behind-the-scenes material, member-only discounts and early access to new free content. Membership starts at $1 per month. If you'd like to, you can say thanks for the freebie via the Tip Jar.

Description

The Ridged Slouch Hat features stripes of purled ridges against a stocking stitch background. It has a twisted ribbed brim and a gently gathered crown.

Availability

My Patreon supporters and members of The Woolly Hat Society get exclusive early access to new free patterns and tutorials. Once the exclusive period is over it’s published here on the blog.

Support

If you have a question about this pattern, pop it in a comment below. Sorry, but I’m unable to help with my free patterns or tutorials via email or private messages.

Social Media

Share your hand-knit Hats online with these hashtags!

#WoollyWormhead

#WWRidgedSlouchHat

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Yarn
460yd/422m/100g
4ply/Sock weight, single or plied yarn; solid, semi-solid or variegated yarns.

Needles & Notions
Set 2.75mm/UK12/US2 DPNs/Circular or size needed to obtain gauge
Stitch markers as necessary
Tapestry needle

Sample details
Shown in MollyGirl Yarn Unplugged Light [230yd/211m per 50g; 100% Peruvian Wool]

Shown in size 20in/50.75cm on model with 20in/50.75cm circumference head

Note
Smaller sizes, 20in or less, are likely to get a Hat from a single 50g skein of the sample yarn; larger sizes will need 2 x 50g.

Gauge
27 sts x 42 rows to 4in/10cm on 2.75mm needles over Stocking St.
28 sts x 44 rows to 4in/10cm on 2.75mm needles over Twisted Rib

Sizes
To fit size: 17 [19, 20, 21, 23, 24] in/43.25 [48.25, 50.75, 53.25, 58.5, 61] cm
Finished size: 14.75 [16, 17.25, 18.25, 19.5, 20.5] in/37.5 [40.75, 43.75, 46.25, 49.5, 52] cm
Not sure which size to make? Check my handy size and measuring guide!

Skills required

Alternate Cable Cast-on

Knitting in the round

Increases and Decreases

Draw-through Bind-off

Blocking a Hand Knit Hat

Abbreviations

K: knit

K1tbl: knit stitch through the back of loop

P: purl

rpt: repeat

R/rnd(s): rounds

st(s): stitch(es)

M1P: lift the horizontal loop between next 2 sts, place it onto the left needle & purl into the back of it

K2tog: knit next 2 sts together

How to

Using Alternate Cable Cast-on method, cast on 104 [112, 120, 128, 136, 144] sts.

Join in the round, taking care not to twist stitches. Place stitch marker to indicate start of round.

Brim

Brim Rnd: *K1tbl, P1; rpt from * to end

Repeat this round until work measures 1 [1.25, 1.25, 1.5, 1.5, 1.75] in/2.5 [3.25, 3.25, 3.75, 3.75, 4.5] cm, then work increase round once as follows:

Inc. Rnd: *P4, M1P; rpt from * to end [130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180 sts]

Body

Rnds 1 to 4: Knit all sts

Rnd 5: Purl all sts

Repeat these 5 rounds until work measures approx. 6.5 [7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9] in/16.5 [17.75, 19, 20.25, 21.5, 22.75] cm, excluding the Brim, ending after a Rnd 5.

Crown

Place an additional 9 stitch markers so that there are 10 stitch markers evenly around.

Dec Rnd 1: *knit to 2sts before marker, k2tog; rpt from * to end – 10sts decreased

Repeat this rounds until 10sts remain. Break yarn and draw through remaining 10sts, tighten to close.

Finishing
Weave in all ends and block as required.

If you’ve a question about this pattern, please pop it in the comments below and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!

Books to review & notice of some time off

I've very kindly received these two knitting books from David and Charles Books to review - Patty Lyons 'Knitting Bag of Tricks' and 'The Gansey Knitting Sourcebook' by Di Gilpin Knitwear and Sheila Greenwell.

The reviews will go live on this blog soon. I've not had a chance to read them just yet, I will share more once I have!

We've a very busy few weeks ahead on the personal front, with some big changes being made, so I'm taking a few weeks off work and aim to be back in the middle of January. But I look forward to reading these of an evening when I need to escape from the chaos of the day that the next few weeks will bring.

Thanks for sending them to me and putting trust in my opinion. I look forward to adding them to my book shelves!

Works in progress...

If you think this looks like a pile of swatches then you'll not be wrong!

This project, one I'm working on in collaboration with Soho Publishing, home to Vogue Knitting and Sixth & Spring Books, and Malabrigo Yarn, is taking up every spare inch of time and headspace, leaving me little time to think of anything else let alone remember what else might need my attention.

I'm rapidly approaching the first major deadline, whereby the next phase brings in a whole new chapter - quite literally - and a set of fresh new challenges. Because I'm not working on this project alone, I'm bringing in guest designers, and I'm project managing the entire thing.

Which is mighty daunting! So I'm trying not to think about just how big this whole project is, or the amount of work needed to get from those first discussions with my editor to the handing in of the manuscript. I can tell you though that as much as I'm distracted and exhausted and chasing my tail, I'm very much enjoying myself. The creative challenges I've faced have been some of the best problem solving games I've played and I *know* the finished book is going to be bloody amazing.

I'm still not in great mental health, so to get through this project I'm needing to switch a lot of the world off to help me focus. The slightest interruptions can lose me days. But I'm getting through it and that alone is a major achievement. The fact that I'm enjoying it and doing something highly creative and innovative? It's bloody marvellous! It's getting me through the dark and cold and miserable winter days.

If I’m a little quiet, distracted or forgetful, this’ll be why…