I noticed that knitting single rows of stripes creates what looks like subtle chevron, and KNEW that it needed to be incorporated into a design! I am constantly trying to find ways to use scraps of yarn or less-than-whole skeins leftover from knitting a whole hat with one color. This all led to what is now the Rachel Hat
The Rachel Hat is a beginner friendly striped hat knit with three colors. It’s perfect for everyday wear, market prep, and gift knitting. It is knit seamlessly with a chevron-esque pattern and works up quickly.
This pattern will make the perfect addition to your market line up and it’s the perfect last minute gift knit. It comes in child and adult sizes so no one is left out!
SIZES
Make this hat in both adult and child sizes Adult: 20-22″ head Child: 16-18″ head
DIFFICULTY
Beginner: You will need to know how to cast on, knit, purl, work in the round, bind off, and add/change colors. It works up in a few hours and once you knit a few rounds of the body it’s pretty mindless!
I finished up my Pepin Cowl Chunky test knit for Aly of @Alythreads on Instagram a few weeks ago (read about it here) and have been blessed with a few wholesale and some Etsy orders. I promised myself I wouldn’t do any more test knitting until January so I could take some time to focus on my own designs and trying to get my items in more stores.
When I saw Destiny of @kniftyknittings post a tester call for her Raglan with a Twist, I had instant regret for making a promise to myself that I was going to break. BUT DO NOT WORRY- it was very well worth it!
I’ve been following Destiny since I created a knitting account on Instagram and have always loved her designs! They always strike me as simple while still being sophisticated and unique. I had been seeing her progress photos on her feed of this design but couldn’t imagine what it was going to turn into when she was done. Let me tell you- this design did not disappoint.
Let’s talk about the logistics.
You can make this sweater using a few skeins of Lion Brand Yarn Touch of Alpaca. How many you need depends on what size you knit. I knit a size 6 and used five skeins. But hold on a minute- size 6? I LOVE when designers use numbers for their designs. It’s just something small that makes them seem even more size inclusive.
I knit a bit looser than Destiny so I had to go up a needle size to meet gauge. Since this is a category 4 yarn that seems more like a category 3 light worsted yarn, I thought this sweater would take FOREVER. But I was pleasantly surprised! I think having the applied hem to look forward to made the body of the sweater fly off my needles. The applied hem did take a bit longer than I anticipated but I wasn’t mad because it’s something I don’t do that often and I found it fun!
Let’s talk about DAT TWIST THO. I’ll be honest, it was my favorite part of the pattern in pictures but I was not looking forward to actually figuring out how to make it happen. Thankfully, Destiny has made a video that goes through every technique in the pattern you could possibly have questions on- including the twist. After watching the video, making the twist was a breeze and I cannot wait to incorporate it in other patterns!
This sweater is designed to be cropped but would be so easy to add length to. I normally don’t wear cropped sweaters because #insecurity BUT I took a leap of faith with this one and I’m so glad I did! I don’t know if it’s the applied hem or the fit or what, but it is so flattering. I think having it cropped actually made it look better on than if I would have added the 4 inches I normally would.
I would say this pattern is for an adventurous beginner/intermediate knitter. It probably shouldn’t be your first sweater but if you want to add a twist (hehehe) to your regular stack of sweaters, this is a great choice!
There are only two things I would change about this design: one is how you work the collar and the other is the yarn. I don’t love picking up stitches. And I won’t go into much detail because you should buy the pattern, but though it’s not personal preference, it really isn’t bad. Just not personal fave and honestly the only thing I would change (and I am very particular about my knit sweaters).
The yarn is high quality and has great colors. I love Lion Brand and have had this particular yarn for about a year, just waiting for the right pattern to come along. But my skin is very sensitive to wool… and I guess alpaca too! Normally I can tough it out and with this sweater, it’s well worth the slight itch. But if you’re sensitive like me, I’d recommend looking into other options that are wool-free or merino.
The pattern goes live around November 12th, so make sure you keep your eyes out, follow Destiny on Instagram (@kniftyknittings), and snag this pattern. You’ll also be able to get it as a kit with Lion Brand which is a GREAT option!
I love fair isle knitting, especially to create little hearts. This led to the Kimberly Hat, which quickly became a best seller. Since it needed a companion to keep my neck and face warm in the cold Colorado winters, then came the Kimberly Cowl. Made as a set or on it’s own this is perfect for market prep and everyday wear!
This pattern will make the perfect addition to your market line up and it’s the perfect last minute gift knit. It comes in child and adult sizes so no one is left out!
SIZES
Make this cowl in both adult and child sizes Adult: 12″ wide and 10.5″ tall Child: 10″ wide and 8″ tall
DIFFICULTY
Beginner: You will need to know how to cast on, knit, purl, work in the round, bind off, and add colors. It works up in a few hours and once you knit a few rounds of the body it’s pretty mindless!
YARN
Size 6 super bulky yarn approximately 100 yds of your main color, and 20 yards of the fair isle color, and 45 yards of the ribbing color. My go to is Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick and Quick.
I’ve always loved fair isle hats and the way the stitches look like little hearts. But I wanted a hat that I could make with scraps from my other hats. So I experimented with different colored brims and the Kimberly Hat was born! It uses the perfect amount of yarn and the color work is easy enough to be mindless but also exciting enough to make you want to keep knitting it.
I originally just made this hat for my markets and Etsy shop but it quickly became one of my top sellers- for both kids and adults! This pattern will make the perfect addition to your market line up and it’s the perfect last minute gift knit.
SIZES
Make this hat in both adult and child sizes Adult: 20-22″ head Child: 16-18″ head
DIFFICULTY
Beginner: You will need to know how to cast on, knit, purl, make one, work in the round, decrease, and add colors. It works up in a few hours and once you knit a few rounds of the body it’s pretty mindless!
YARN
Size 6 super bulky yarn approximately 80 yds of your main color, and 20 yards of the fair isle color, and 60 yards of the brim color. My go to is Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick and Quick.
Called by Name 