Dual colors

Last Saturday, I checked out a couple of thrift stores with my daughter.  We love thrift stores, for their quirkiness and, of course, great prices.  Because she's an artist, too, we're always looking for things we can recycle and reuse, so we browse through the area where patterns, fabric, yarns, etc. are packaged up and put out for sale.  On this particular trip, I was thrilled to discover a bag with two skeins of sport weight yarn that looked very soft, and upon investigating the tags (thank you, whoever donated it, for leaving those on!), I discovered that one skein was 50/50 alpaca/silk and the other was wool/rayon.  Ooooh...the softness!  The price?  $3.99 for both skeins was too good to pass up.  So, even though I've set myself a "rule" (no going to the yarn store until my stash is mostly used up), I had to have it.  And technically, I didn't "go to the yarn store."  (We knitters/crocheters can justify anything when it comes to yearning for yarn!)

Of course, once I opened it up and felt it, I had to wind it and use it.  They were short skeins, so I knew I'd have to make something small.  This hat was born.

I  posted the picture on my knitting forum (www.knittingparadise.com) and got such a warm response and so many requests for the pattern that I've decided to make it free and post it here.  It's a bit "loose" (24" in circumference), and I tend to make a lot of hats that way since I want them to fit most everyone, and if I'm wearing it, I have to compensate for lots of poofy hair!  As always, I had a lot of fun with it and am getting more comfortable with writing crochet instructions.  Though I've crocheted for about three times as long as I've knitted, I find that I don't design much crochet--perhaps that will change now!

If you do make the hat, please give me feedback on it, so I know if I'm going in the right direction.  I'd love to see pictures, too, for color choices.  I plan to make a "scrappy" version as well (still busting that stash!), and I'll post the color scheme for that with pictures once it's done.  Now, without further ado, here's the pattern--enjoy!

Dual Color Crochet Hat

By Sorlenna’s Studio

Materials:  Fingering or sport weight yarn, approximately 110 yards of color A and 85 yards color B (Model stitched with Blue Sky Alpaca/Silk [50/50], slate and Berroco Softwist [59% rayon/41% wool], Kale); size G hook or size needed for gaug, stitch marker if desired for end of round

Gauge:  16 sc and 19 rows = 4”

Finished size:  7 ¼” high and 24” circumference (hat will be a bit loose for smaller heads; if you want it a bit smaller, use a hook the next sizesmaller)

Hat is worked in rounds.  Ch 1 at beginning of round does not count as first stitch of round; other chs do count as one stitch in increase rounds.  When round instructions indicate one color, continue working in that color until pattern notes to change.

Round 1:  With color A, ch 2 loosely.  Work 8 sc in first ch.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1.

Round 2:  Work 2 hdc in each sc around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (16 sts)

Round 3:  Hdc in first stitch, 2 hdc in next stitch.  *Hdc in next stitch, 2 hdc in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (24 sts)

Round 4:  *Hdc, ch 1, skip next st, [hdc, ch 1] in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (32 sts)

Round 5:  With color B, *Sc in hdc, dc in hdc one row below (over chain).  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (32 sts)

Round 6:  With color A, *hdc in next 3 sts, 2 hdc in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (40 sts)

Round 7:  With color B, *[hdc, ch 1, skip next st] twice, [hdc, ch 1] in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (48 sts)

Round 8:  With color A, *Sc in hdc, dc in hdc one row below (over chain).  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (48 sts)

Round 9:  With color B, *hdc in next 5 sts, 2 hdc in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (56 sts)

Round 10:  *[hdc, ch 1, skip next st] 3 times, [hdc, ch 1] in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (64 sts)

Round 11:  With color A, *Sc in hdc, dc in hdc one row below (over chain).  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (64 sts)

Round 12:  *Hdc in next 7 sts, 2 hdc in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (72 sts)

Round 13:  *Hdc in next 8 sts, 2 hdc in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (80 sts)

Round 14:  With color B, *Hdc, ch 1, skip next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (80 sts)

Round 15:  With color A, *[sc in hdc, dc in hdc one row below (over chain)] 4 times, sc in next stitch, 2 dc in hdc one row below.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (88 sts)

Round 16:  With color B, hdc in each stitch around.  (88 sts)

 

Round 17:  With color A, *hdc in next 10 sts, 2 hdc in next stitch (96 sts).

Round 18:  With color B, *hdc in next stitch, ch 1, skip next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1.

Round 19:  With color A, *Sc in hdc, dc in hdc one row below (over chain).  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1.

Round 20:  With color A, *hdc in next stitch, ch 1, skip next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1.

Round 21:  With color B, *Sc in hdc, dc in hdc one row below (over chain).  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1.

Rounds 22-25:  Repeat rounds 18-21.

Round 26:  With color A, repeat round 18.  

Round 27:  With color B, repeat round 19.

Rounds 28-31:  Repeat rounds 26 and 27 twice.

Round 32:  With color A, sc in each stitch around.

Round 33:  With color B, sc in each stitch around.

Round 34:  Repeat round 32.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Update!  The scrappy version is done, and the color scheme is what I used, though you can feel free to do your own thing!

Scrap Version (Stained Glass effect)

Work color scheme using one main color and various colors as follows (CC denotes contrasting color):

Round 1:  With MC, ch 2 loosely.  Work 8 sc in first ch.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1.

Round 2:  Work 2 hdc in each sc around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (16 sts)

Round 3:  Hdc in first stitch, 2 hdc in next stitch.  *Hdc in next stitch, 2 hdc in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (24 sts)

Round 4:  *Hdc, ch 1, skip next st, [hdc, ch 1] in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (32 sts)

Round 5:  With CC, *Sc in hdc, dc in hdc one row below (over chain).  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (32 sts)

Round 6:  With MC, *hdc in next 3 sts, 2 hdc in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (40 sts)

Round 7:  With CC, *[hdc, ch 1, skip next st] twice, [hdc, ch 1] in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (48 sts)

Round 8:  With MC, *Sc in hdc, dc in hdc one row below (over chain).  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (48 sts)

Round 9:  *hdc in next 5 sts, 2 hdc in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (56 sts)

Round 10:  *[hdc, ch 1, skip next st] 3 times, [hdc, ch 1] in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (64 sts)

Round 11:  With CC, *Sc in hdc, dc in hdc one row below (over chain).  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (64 sts)

Round 12:  With MC, *Hdc in next 7 sts, 2 hdc in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (72 sts)

Round 13:  *Hdc in next 8 sts, 2 hdc in next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (80 sts)

Round 14:  With CC, *Hdc, ch 1, skip next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (80 sts)

Round 15:  With CC, *[sc in hdc, dc in hdc one row below (over chain)] 4 times, sc in next stitch, 2 dc in hdc one row below.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1. (88 sts)

Round 16:  With CC, hdc in each stitch around.  (88 sts)

Round 17:  With MC, *hdc in next 10 sts, 2 hdc in next stitch (96 sts).

Round 18:  *hdc in next stitch, ch 1, skip next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1.

Round 19:  With CC, *Sc in hdc, dc in hdc one row below (over chain).  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1.

Round 20:  With MC, *hdc in next stitch, ch 1, skip next stitch.  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1.

Round 21:  With CC, *Sc in hdc, dc in hdc one row below (over chain).  Repeat from * around.  Join with sl st to first sc, ch 1.

Rounds 22-25:  Repeat rounds 18-21, varying colors or order of CC as desired.

Round 26:  With MC, repeat round 18. 

Round 27:  With CC, repeat round 19.

Rounds 28-31:  Repeat rounds 26 and 27 twice.

Round 32:  With MC, sc in each stitch around.

Round 33:  With CC, sc in each stitch around.

Round 34:  Repeat round 32.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Exercises in patience

These past few days, the ideas have been coming fast and furious, and I've sketched out a lot in the hope that I can find time to complete even a fraction of them this year.  I've always admired shawls but find they take a lot of time--designs are often complex and quite challenging, even for experienced knitters.  My ultimate hope is that all this practice will speed up my work, though faster doesn't always mean better, as I've learned.  I worked up a swatch for a chart I drew out on graph paper, which took quite a while with a size 2 needle and lace weight yarn; as it required at least 60 rows before I could see the pattern accurately, I grew impatient.  Still, I got enough to see not only all my mistakes but that it wasn't working the way I wanted.  

I couldn't consider this wasted time, however.  As I blocked the swatch, I noted several things--the center of the "leaf" (I wanted a feather) pointed down at the end, which could work for something else, and I had way too many holes in the thing--the design seems to get lost in them.  The bottom should be more rounded, as this colorway says "Peacock feathers" to me.  Realizing also that I'd drawn it the wrong way (knitting graph paper isn't made in squares; stitches are "taller" than they are "wide," and the paper corresponds to that), I redrew and tried again, changing the sk2po in the middle to a k2tog/ssk knit combo and got something closer to what I wanted, but it still didn't seem right (and I didn't bother taking a photo of that one).  By the third chart, with all its erasures and redrawing (I always draw in pencil!), the poor graph paper was getting as frazzled as I was, so I simply put it aside and worked on this for a while:

This, too, contains obvious flaws, and I wrote that out instead of charting it, though charting first would probably have saved me some effort.  Having a love/hate relationship with knitting charts--which seems really odd since I designed cross stitch charts for years--I have concluded that for complex designs, charting will be the best starting point since I am a visual learner, and learn I have from these exercises.  I've learned that this doesn't work well for an across-the-end shawl, as it's fairly busy, for instance, and will now frog the whole thing and rework it so this part goes across the bottom instead (with the triangles lined up better).  So hours & hours of work are now undone, but I really don't feel bad about it.  Art (and I cannot think of a well designed shawl as anything less) takes time, and if we don't take the time to get what we want, why are we even knitting in the first place?

Knitting is not for those who expect instant gratification. I have kept that in mind this week as my sketchbook fills and more ideas crowd into my head--I'm not even counting the designs I see from others that I would love to do, either.  One saying that floats around among knitters is, "She who dies with the most yarn wins," but I want to enjoy and use it while I'm still here--and exercise patience as I go along, for that, in the end, will be well worth the effort.  I'm excited to begin again.  Charts four and two, here I come.