Lisse Hat

I like to come up with small projects that knitters can make in preparation for larger projects. I also like to take stitch patterns apart to find different ways to express them. I then like to use my projects to paint my vision in yarn and stitch pattern.

Lisse Hat
[Lisse is pronounced Lisa] Normally the small projects come to me after-the-fact because I am most often thinking about garments. When I see a stitch pattern I love, I immediately think about how I would use it in a garment, and what that garment would look like.

I like to swatch, so it doesn’t bother me to make a swatch that might not be used for anything other than taking gauge. Gauge swatches litter my studio/office. They are a source of constant inspiration and reference. That isn’t the case for most knitters who don’t want to even bother with a basic gauge swatch.

That is why I need small projects to fool knitters into making gauge swatches. It is always tricky when the large project is in the round. Doing a gauge swatch uses a lot of yarn and takes much more time than a flat swatch. It can also give you a false gauge if using needles that aren’t the ones you will use for the final piece. I get why that isn’t appealing just for a swatch. If you are interested in this, this is a great blog post. So I figure a hat or mitts, or something else is just the thing for creating enough knitting in pattern to get gauge information.

The other upside of doing a project rather than just a swatch is that I can insert all the techniques that will be covered. This hat pattern will be out shortly. It is done in Helix (Lavender) from Infinite Twist. The pattern includes the bobblet rib trim and the pendants, so this is a perfect place to practice these techniques. I’ve done a short backwards knit video (continental style) which you will love for the bobblets. Bobbles are a great place to practice backwards knit because they are small and evenness of stitches is not particularly important. Each bobblet is worked over 4 rows, so knitting backwards save all the flipping back and forth.

This design is derivative of a more complicated stitch pattern. I’ll talk on Friday about teasing out the bits and pieces that make up this pattern.

Release info will be in the newsletter on Thursday. The Lisse Pullover will be offered later this fall.