Tilting Ladder Hat

Tilting Ladder Hat

Okay, so I made a hat like this for myself nearly a year ago, but, like a genius, I didn't write down the pattern. Then I didn't have any chunky yarn. Finally, however, I bought some and recreated the hat, as I think it's a really fun to knit, fast, and interesting pattern that's a nice weight for fall (with the holes and all). So let's get to it!

Yarn: Bernat Alpaca (70% Acrylic, 30% Alpaca; 120 yards [110 meters]/100 grams); #93310 Plum - 1 skein 


Needles: one 16" circular needle in size #10, one set of double-pointed needles (dpns), also in size #10, cable needle (cn) or dpn for cabling

The finishing

Notions: tapestry needle

Gauge: 15 stitches = 4 inches

Using circular needle, cast on 78 stitches, place marker, and join in round. Work 6 rows in a ribbing, which goes like so:

Ribbing row: * (k1, p1) five times, k1, p2 *

Once your six ribbing rows are complete, it's time to move to the Tilting Ladder pattern, which comes from page 210 of Barbara G. Walker's A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns. It also goes as follows (after being adapted for the round, of course):

Row 1: * k5, p1, k5, p2 *

Row 2: * k5, p1, k1, (yo, k2tog) twice, p2 *

Bear Track Cowl

Bear Track Cowl

Okay, I bought a bunch of skeins of this yarn a loooong time ago, back when I could afford it (also, the local yarn shop was changing hands so it was on sale). And while I've knit it up a couple of different ways, I think that the bear track pattern on this one suits the yarn's variegation and thick-to-thin worsted weight well, although you should note that if you knit it with an unchanging worsted it won't have quite the same funkiness (post pictures if you do, also - I'm curious). Anyway, let's get to it!

Yarn: Misti Alpaca Baby Me Boo (50% Baby Alpaca, 30% Merino, 20% Bamboo; 174 yards [160 meters]/100 grams); #BBH07 Rosario - 1 skein (however, I've developed an uncanny knack for finishing up a skein with little to spare, so if you're a looser knitter, you may want to have two skeins on hand. On the flip side, since this pattern ends with I-cords, you could always use something like ribbon to tie up the cowl if you run out)


Needles: one set of straight needles in size 7, two double-pointed needles (dpns), also in size 7

Close-up of the pattern.
It doesn't pop too much with the
yarn's variegation, but it does add texture.

Notions: tapestry needle

Gauge: 18 stitches = 4 inches

Okay, to knit this piece we're going to start with the center bit (we'll pick up stitches along the edges to do the around-the-neck parts). So, using size 7 needles, cast on 81 stitches. The center piece will be knit in the Bear Track pattern, from page 225 of Barbara G. Walker's A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns, and goes as follows:

Row 1 (right side): k1, * yo, (k1, p1) 7 times, k1, yo, k1; rep from *

Row 2: k1, * p2, (k1, p1) 7 times, p1, k1 *

Row 3: k2, * yo, (k1, p1) 7 times, k1, yo, k3 *, end last repeat k2

Row 4: k2, * p2, (k1, p1) 7 times, p1, k3 *, end last repeat k2

Sunburst Cowl

Sunburst Cowl

If you've poked around my blog at all, you already probably know that I love a good cowl (so efficient! harder for the kids to tug on! never has ends that could dangle in a toilet!, etc). And this is another design, made with sock yarn since that's what I've got hanging around. It's also easy to style in a couple of different shapes, and has a nice, lightweight appearance overall. Well, and yours doesn't have to be yellow...

Oh, and before we get started, I highly recommend you read through the pattern before beginning, just so you know how many repeats of different stitch sets we'll be doing!

Yarn: ShibuiKnits Sock (100% Superwash Merino; 191 yards [175 meters]/50 grams); #1900 Bright Canary Yellow - one skein


Needles: one 24" circular needle in size 4

The ol' pattern close-up.  Notice the holes.

Notions: tapestry needle, three stitch markers or scraps of yarn to mark stitches

Gauge: 26 stitches = 4 inches

To get started, we're going to cast on 198 stitches, place marker, and join in a round. Next, we're going to place the other two markers like so - k30, place another marker, p138, place another marker, and knit to beginning of row (30 stitches).

And now it's time to knit exactly ONE repeat of the main pattern, which goes as follows (we'll return to it later in the piece, although we're gonna do some short rows before we get back to it):

Row 1: p30, slip marker, * k2tog, yo, k1; rep from * until you reach the next marker, slip marker, p30

Rows 2 & 4: k30, slip marker, *k1, p1, k1 * until next marker, slip marker, k30

Row 3: p30, slip marker, * k1, yo, k2tog * until you reach the next marker, slip marker, p30