New free patterns forthcoming!

Having done all of the pattern and tutorial reformatting needed for the new website, I’ve started to work my way through my very long list of other things that need doing, and that includes a whole bunch of free patterns.

Some of these have been knitted and photographed for a couple of years - as I say, the list is long! - so I’m glad to be getting through them. And as I’ve been doing so, I’m realising more and more how my ADHD and Autism play into my work… writing these in batches is far more satisfying and far more successful than trying to do them one at a time. And throw in a deadline or the dread or shame of things having waited that long and bingo, the brain switches mode.

The first 3 patterns have already gone to Patreon supporters. From today I’ll start sending them out, one at a time, every few weeks over the summer to members of The Woolly Hat Society. Once members have had exclusive access for a while they’ll then go live on the blog for everyone to access. Joining The Woolly Hat Society is free, you can join or leave at any time, and Patreon membership starts at $1 per month or $10.20 per year.

The first of these new patterns is ‘A Slouch for Josie’.

Cosy Fisherman’s Rib is used to full effect here, creating slouch and drape and such a lovely fabric for hand-dyed or hand-spun yarns. All of these first 3 patterns will love an opinionated yarn and this sample shows that off really nice.

The pattern is written for aran weight yarn and includes 6 sizes - 15in through to 25in heads - but it can also be knit in just about any weight yarn for any size. There are notes about this included in the pattern and once it goes live on the blog, I’ll write a more in-depth tutorial to explain how. And I promise it’s easy, you just need to know the intended head size and gauge!

Each of these patterns uses either the Gathered Bind-off or the Modified Gathered Bind-off, your choice of which. They also each use the Alternate Cable Cast-on, an old favourite of mine for ribbed brims. And besides the knitting into the row below for that cosy brioche fabric, and knitting in the round for a seamless finish, there’s no other techniques involved! No increases or decreases at all, nothing to keep track - they’re perfect mindless knitting projects.

The next pattern, which will be going out to members of The Woolly Hat Society in a few weeks, is ‘Aida’s Slouch’. It’s also written for aran weight yarn in 6 sizes but like the previous one, it’ll work for any weight yarn in any size.

This one uses exactly the same techniques as the first one, only the knit-into-the-row-below brioche is a little different. I never know what to call this brioche pattern, but I’ve used it in my Muratura and Rainbow Warrior patterns, and a few more besides. I love it - it’s dense and soft and super cosy and it plays really well with garter stitch, making it ideal for sideways knits.

This pattern uses moving markers, so it’s ideal if you want to see what that technique is all about! Without it there’d be a visible jog in the stitch pattern where the rounds start and end, and that jog is created by the change between the K1B rounds and the purl rounds. It’s not a pretty jog and given the stitch pattern, it’s also a lose one making it holey and even less pretty.

I tried several different ways to move the marker and the way it’s written in the pattern is the neatest. Whilst it isn’t completely invisible, it is almost, and certainly looks a whole lot better than it would do without! And if you knit this Hat in a variegated yarn you definitely won’t see the jog at all.

The final pattern of this batch, which isn’t the final free pattern this summer, is the ‘Garter Slouch’. Again it’s written for aran weight in 6 sizes but again is also totally do-able for any weight yarn in any size. I love that about all of these patterns, they’re brilliant stash-busters!

I’m expecting to get this one out to members of The Woolly Hat Society around mid-July, and it’s already available to Patreon members. It’ll likely go live on this blog in mid to late August sometime.

You can’t go wrong with garter stitch. So squishy and comfy and so easy to do when your fingers need to keep busy but your head’s tangled up with other things. All 3 of these Hats came about because I needed some soft easy knitting in a colourful yarn whilst I worked through a bunch of things in my head, and I’m glad to be passing that on as the world isn’t letting up any time soon.

The list of free patterns that need writing and publishing is getting shorter, think I’ve only a couple left to write now! It’s going to be busy here over the next few months as we run up to the woolly Hat season in the northern hemisphere and I’m mighty glad to see these finally being published.