Pattern: Brixter by me!
Yarn: Not yet released merino/cashmere/silk DK weight yarn in Natural with a Buttercup pompom!
Ravelry project page here
Every year my girlfriends from art school and I do a secret santa gift exchange. This year I gave to Jenna. I was excited to be knitting something for her (because of course my gift had to be knit) because she's a textile artist as well and I knew that she'd really appreciate a hand made gift. Choosing just the right yarn, pattern and colour was daunting. As an artist, Jenna has a very well developed sense of personal style. I love her style and wanted to make sure that whatever I made her would be something that she may not make herself, but that she would love. Her aesthetic is clean, simple and natural. I decided that for Jenna, a pattern with clean lines would be best, and that I should focus on the fiber rather than the colour. Though I'm sure she does love colour, I see her as a "neutrals" girl. I have a small amount of a new yarn that I'm playing with, it's a merino/cashmere/silk DK weight yarn (just like Orange Label, just DK weight rather than worsted.) This was the perfect yarn for her. Luxurious and special, and beautiful in the Natural colour way.
I cast on for Brixter hat and then part way through the ribbing decided that it would be extra terrific if it had a double brim. Since I had already begun working the cables I just kept on and then skipped one cable cross where I would be folding the brim under. I then worked the brim pattern once more before folding it under and tacking it down on the last row before I started the body. Alternatively you could sew the brim down after completing the hat, but sewing it as you go makes for zero finishing in the end, which is a nice feeling.
Using my left hand needle I picked up one stitch from the cast on edge and knit it together with it's corresponding live stitch. I only knit the knit stitches together, I did not tack down the purl stitches in the ribbing, tacking down every second stitch is plenty to keep things together. The results are very pro, there is no visible seam and the tacked down edge is very stretchy and comfortable.
After having skipped the one cable cross for the turned under row I took a look at my progress and really liked it! I decided that I'd continue to alternate crossing the cables every 4th row (as pattern specifies) and every 8th row. The difference is subtle, but very pretty.
Jenna loved her hat. She was very excited about the fiber, which is nice since I'm excited about it too! You really can't go wrong with a merino, cashmere, silk base!
Isn't Jenna adorable? I also added a buttercup pom-pom for some Tanis flare! I just couldn't resist.
