Year of Hats: October Hat

Is there a better month in the year than October? We think not! The leaves are changing, the air is crisp and clean, and firewood is stacked and ready for the first fire of the season. October is perfect hat knitting and wearing weather, so grab your needles and get ready for the October Hat in our Year of Hats series!

Designed by Sloane Rosenthal, the October Hat features Sloane’s signature modern cables, a deep folded up brim, an optional tubular cast on, and an adorable pom pom. As usual, we complete the look with a custom Kelbourne Woolens leather tag.

Those familiar with Sloane’s designs will already know she has a thing for cables, and she’s quite clever with making them flow seamlessly out of ribbing. Check out our cabling without a cable needle tutorial here, and watch your October Hat cables fly off your needles in no time. We think this essential unisex hat is the perfect fall/winter hat for anyone!

As for month’s past, we’ve assembled a kit for the October Hat, which includes:

• 1 skein of Germantown in Oxford Blue
• 2 butterflies of Perennial in midnight and raspberry
• 1 Kelbourne Woolens custom leather label

Head over to our online shop to purchase, or ask for one at your local LYS!

Happy Hat Knitting!

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Swatching: Navia Deluxe and Brushed Tradition

Fall is here and I am very eager to cast on a new sweater using one of our favorite wooly yarns from Navia. Two of their newer lines, Brushed and Deluxe Tradition, are cousins to Tradition, their wooly, rustic 100% Faroese Wool yarn, but both offer a unique twist on the original!

Navia Deluxe Tradition

Navia Deluxe is single ply aran weight yarn. Spun from 100% Faroese wool, the wool is sorted and the softer fibers are set aside to spin the Deluxe. The end result is yarn with a lovely hand that still retains the rustic nature we love about Tradition.

I swatched the Deluxe on Size US 7 (4.5 mm), US 8 (5 mm), and US 9 (5.5 mm) needles. In the ball, the Deluxe looks a little thinner than an aran weight, and the yarn is still “in the grease”, meaning it has natural lanolin from the sheep. As a result, the swatches are slightly ropey, but after washing - in the machine! - the fibers bloom and create a fabric with a gorgeous hand and drape.

Gauges:
US 7 (4.5 mm): 15.5 sts and 22 rows = 4” (10 cm)
US 8 (5 mm): 14 sts and 20 rows = 4” (10 cm)
US 9 (5.5 mm): 13 sts and 19 rows = 4” (10 cm)

Navia Brushed Tradition

Navia Brushed Tradition is an amazing, light as air, 100% Faroese wool yarn that comes in a generous 328 yard, 100 gram skein. The long staple length of the Faroese sheep fleece is brushed and then spun into a lightly twisted wooly yarn. I also knit the Brushed Tradition on Size US 7 (4.5 mm), US 8 (5 mm), and US 9 (5.5 mm) needles. Due to the nature of the yarn being fuzzier and more airy than the Deluxe and original Tradition yarns, prior to blocking, the swatches were not as defined as the Deluxe. After blocking they still bloomed and the finished fabric is airy and lovely.

Gauges:
US 7 (4.5 mm): 16 sts and 23 rows = 4” (10 cm)
US 8 (5 mm): 15 sts and 22 rows = 4” (10 cm)
US 9 (5.5 mm): 14 sts and 20 rows = 4” (10 cm)

I’m really loving the fabric of the swatches on US 8 needles, and the gauge in the Brushed Tradition matches perfectly with one of Navia’s newest sweater designs, Dandelion. Now I just need to get a copy of the pattern and cast on!

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The Knit Vibe: Chaleur by Kate Gagnon Osborn

Vickie Howell’s new book, The Knit Vibe, was released today and I’m delighted to share my contribution, Chaleur!

Chaleur is a quintessentially “Kate” hat: deep ribbing, intricate cables, integrated increases and decreases, and a slouchy fit are all incorporated into the design.

Knit in Scout in orchid heather, Chaleur is a wooly, modern, and functional design and a super fun knit. The pink as shown is a great color to brighten you up on cold winter days, but it would also look amazing in one of the gorgeous neutrals or greens in the Scout palette.

Aall of the designs in The Knit Vibe are up on Ravelry, where you can queue and heart Chaleur. Ask for the book at your LYS or find it at a local bookseller via Indiebound.

Images: Traci Goudie

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