10 February 2008

Pixies Rise Again!





Started: 15 Jan 2008
Finished: 25 Jan 2008

This hat was inspired by several short row Nordic berets I’ve seen. Building on my current obsession (started by Jared Flood, damn him) theme of using two subtle colorways to create a color dance.

Knit in garter stitch, in short rows with a brim and a “poof” factor. However, as I knit it became very apparent that gauge lied! I was not going to get a beret that would fit a human head. So, I stopped at wedge 5, seamed the thing, and “fulled” the hat until the brim would fit me.

I got a fun little beret with a point! I'm a pixie, you're a pixie....

At a reader's request, here is a bare-bones pattern for this garter beret. Click to download. (PDF file)
If you knit it, please let me know! If there is demand, I'll create a proper pattern.
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4 comments:

  1. Elisha21 February, 2010 17:54

    I really love this little hat, but the pattern has thrown me... I want to knit it, but I'm confused by the chart... u_u

    I'm intent on figuring it out, but I think I could use some pointers. ^-^

    ReplyDelete
  2. Charisa22 February, 2010 08:19

    Elisha,
    This is a "sideways" knit hat. You are knitting short rows for the wedges, and repeating the creation of multiple triangles to make the hat. Each line in the graph represents TWO rows -- or one garter ridge. You start with a provisional cast on and when you've made enough wedges for your head you pick out the provisional cast on and put those stitches on a needle. Then graft the cast on stitches to the live stitches to close the hat.

    This was knit with a bulky yarn, but you might try a worsted weight.

    In the 8 stitch area on the left side of the graft you do not knit the white squares. This means your band for the head is half the number of rows in the hat. When you knit a garter ridge with colorway 1, you stop 8 stitches short of the full row and turn and knit back. Then you knit a full garter ridge with colorway 2 (including the 3 band stitches). The area marked "edge" would probably have been better named "edge band" to help you visualize it.

    You can check out YouTube for videos on short rows to understand how you are building the wedges for this hat. However, DO NOT wrap and turn, just turn and keep knitting.

    Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Charisa22 February, 2010 08:20

    type: "In the 8 stitch area of the left side of the graph you do not knit the white squares."

    ReplyDelete
  4. Elisha22 February, 2010 16:33

    Oh okay, thanks! I'll try to puzzle that out when I've got some appropriate yarn. I kind of envision this making a cute unique Christmas hat. ^-^

    ReplyDelete

Your comments appreciated.