When I start a new project I always begin with a hat (or hats). It’s a perfect way to practice your pattern, check your gauge, and try out color combinations. Swatches are great, but I like to have something I can use after all that knitting! (This is also why I have quite a few mismatched hand warmers.) For the initial planning for
Cumberland Falls, I cast on just enough stitches to fit a 16” circular comfortably, and worked different colorwork stripes to try out pattern repeats and color combos in order to narrow down my palette. My idea was to make this hat for my youngest, who is 2, but it is too small for her. Luckily, I’m expecting again (!), so the new baby has a ready-made ridiculous hat - which is a thing
all babies require. It just needs a pompon or tassel to make it complete. (No, there is no pattern for this hat, the beauty of the tester hat lies in its improvisation!)
With my color choices, stripe sequence, and patterns now worked out - in my head, on paper, and with this little tester hat as a reference - I started on the sweater itself!
I'll be the first to admit
Cumberland Falls has a lot going on! It’s very colorful in its “as published” version, and after it was finished I thought it might be nice to include an alternative, more subdued color way.
For the Cumberland Falls hat, I kept navy heather Camper as the main color, I chose oatmeal, meadow, and mulberry as my contrast colors: very tasteful, very classic. My hope is that you can use this pattern to plan out and try your own color combinations, and also to test your gauge. It’s a great bonus pattern to help you with the planning of a big project! And, even if your gauge is way off, just remember, it will fit someone’s head!
Specifications
YARN
Kelbourne Woolens Camper: navy heather 412 (MC), 1 skein. meadow heather 330 (CC1), appx 20 gms/ 40 yds, oatmeal heather 278 (CC2), mulberry heather 602 (CC3), appx 10 gms/20 yds each.
GAUGE
28 sts and 32 rnds = 4” (10 cm) in stranded colorwork on larger needles, after blocking.
NEEDLES
1 – 16” (40 cm) US 1 (2.25 mm) circular.
1 – 16” (40 cm) US 3 (3.25 mm) circular.
1 set US 3 (3.25 mm) DPNs.
Check your gauge and adjust needle size accordingly if necessary.
NOTIONS
Darning needle, stitch marker.
SIZE
16” (40.5 cm) circumference, unstretched, 10.5” (26.5 cm) height.
SKILLS
Knitting in the round, stranded colorwork from charts.
Download the FREE pattern here!
