Little Bowknot Hat

Little Bowknot Hat

Ordinarily, I tend to think that my yarns need to match in any given project; I'm much less likely to pick up two completely different skeins in different colors than I am to get two different shades of the exact same yarn. When I saw the gray-ish yarn that I used in this pattern, however, there was only one skein left, and it was on closeout so I knew there would never be more. So I decided to go out on a limb and knit it with a completely different yarn. And luckily, the ropiness of the gray yarn and the softness of the blue created even more texture in this mid-weight, springtime hat, and I ended up loving the results. Or in other words, this is a perfect pattern for a couple of skeins of dk-weight stash yarn that you've never quite figured out what to do with before.

The little bowknots, close up.

Yarn: Plymouth Yarn VITA (85% Recycled Cotton, 15% Recycled Cashmere; 136 yards [124 meters]/50 grams); #120 Blue Mist (color A) - one skein & Plymouth Yarn Grass (65% Cotton, 35% Hemp; 115 yards [105 meters]/50 grams); #9088 Multi (color B) - one skein

Needles: one 16" circular needle in size 5, one 16" circular needle in size 7, one set of double-pointed needles (dpns), also in size 7

Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch marker

Gauge: 20 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette on size 7 needles

Using color A and your size 5 circular needle, cast on 110 stitches loosely, place marker, and join in round. Knit 1 inch in a k1, p1 ribbing, and then switch to your size 7 needle and knit one row around. Switch to color B, and knit one more row around. And now that these rows are complete, let's move on to the main pattern, which is a small, two-color adaptation of Bowknot Stitch from page 133 of Barbara G. Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns. So let's get started!

Star Stitch Cowl

Star Stitch Cowl

So, my local yarn store is having a huge sale on a bunch of discontinued yarns, which is great because some of them are super nice and cheap, and terrible because I know that they won't be available for long. However, the yarn I chose for this piece has a texture that I think would be best replicated by Berroco Comfort DK, if you're looking to duplicate the look and texture of this piece but can't find the yarn. And I'm sure this cowl would also be lovely in any number of cottons, linens, bamboos, acrylics or wools, if the fancy strikes you. Either way, let's get started.

The eyelet design of the front panel

Yarn: Plymouth Yarn VITA (85% Recycled Cotton, 15% Recycled Cashmere; 136 yards [124 meters]/50 grams); #301 Grey (color A) - one skein & #117 Pink Carnation (color B) - 1 skein

Needles: One 24" circular needle in size 7

Notions: Tapestry needle, five stitch markers or scraps of yarn to mark stitches

Gauge: 20 stitches = 4 inches 

Please note: I have updated these instructions as of 2/03/14 for clarity.

Using color A, cast on 123 stitches, place marker, and join in round. Purl 4 rows, placing one of your two additional stitch markers after 60 stitches, and your second additional marker after 63 (so these two markers will be three stitches apart, and centered in middle of piece). Slip stitch markers when you come to them during these purl rows. And once they're done, it's time to begin the pattern, which is Two-Color Star Stitch from page 92 of Barbara G. Walker's A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns.

Row 1: using color B, knit until first stitch marker; slip marker, k1, yo, knit until you're one stitch before next stitch marker, yo, k1, slip marker, knit until end of row

Cat's Eye Cowl

Cat's Eye Cowl

I know this yarn is discontinued, but I loved the Arrowhead Lace Cowl I knit out of it so much that I couldn't resist picking up another couple of skeins when I saw it in the store again. Of course, this voluminously draped cowl would look just as nice in another worsted-weight cotton or linen or bamboo or whatnot, and knits up relatively quickly, even with the very wide middle panel (the width is what gives it that drape).

The back

Yarn: Plymouth Yarn Sweet Caroline (100% Cotton; 76 yards [69 meters]/50 grams); #32 Pale Yellow - two to three skeins (I squeaked by with two, but had about 8 inches of yarn left at the end)

Needles: One set of straight needles in size 7

Notions: Tapestry needle

Gauge: 20 stitches = 4 inches

So let's get started! Begin by casting on 8 stitches. Then, we'll go to the set-up pattern, which starts as follows (and whose two rows we'll knit multiple times, until we've increased our stitch count from 8 to 31):

Set-up Row 1 (right side): k1, yo, knit until there are three stitches left in row; p1, k1, p1