I’m pleased to finally be in the position to release Askew, a fun beanie or slouchy hat sized through from baby to adult male.
The design process for Askew was certainly out of line with the way I usually approach my designs. I had been asked to knit a hat for my young nephew and did so, knitting him a Mimizan. My partner was going to visit and take it with him. With about 36 hours to go I was congratulating myself on not working up to the wire on it, and then… it occurred to me… it would be a bit unfair to send a hat to one nephew and nothing to the other. But on the other hand, I was out the whole next day and wouldn’t be able to churn out another hat in a couple of hours and ensure everything else being sent over was packed in an airline compliant fashion. I wondered, did I have anything in the already knitted pile that may suffice? No.
Then, tidying away needles etc., there in the basket was a sizeable swatch. I’d been playing with a stitch pattern for an idea I’d had but I hadn’t been entirely happy with the fabric, it was a bit dense for what I’d had in mind and so it had just been set aside. But knitted in the round it had potential.
The next morning on the train to Blackpool, I spent a bit of time working out the crown decreases. On the way back from Blackpool I knitted them; there are times when sitting on train that’s going nowhere can be a blessing to at least one passenger, if clearly not the rest. By the time I got home I had sewn in the ends and sorted everything except the provisional cast on with which I had started the swatch. I tried it on and asked my partner what he thought, would it do?
Him: Yes, I really like the orange at the edge.
Me: That’s just the scrap yarn for the provisional cast on
Him: Oh, that’s the best bit.
I did admit he may have had a point. I undid the provisional cast on and decided to cast off with some orange yarn.
The design retains the option of a contrasting edge, but this is now achieved by casting on in a contrast colour. There’s also the option of a rolled contrast brim. The pattern also gives full instructions for beanie style and to add extra slouch. The hat combines slipped stitches and changes in stitch pattern to create a textured pattern that spirals around the hat. You only ever knit with one colour in a round.
It’s now about a year since this happened and I can report the hat proved successful, and has been much worn.
This pattern has also been tested by some wonderful knitters on Ravelry who appear to enjoy knitting it, wearing it and gifting it to satisfied recipients.
So for the technical details:
Size To fit Actual Size
Baby 16”/40.5cm 14.5”/37cm
Toddler 18”/45.5cm 15.5”/39.5cm
Child/teen 20”/51cm 18”/46cm
Adult female 22”/56cm 19.5”/50cm
Adult male 24”/61cm 21”/54cm
Yarn usage
These hats can be worked in any yarn that knits of tension on the needles required. The yarn requirements below show actual requirements, if knitted to tension, so the smaller sizes especially are great for using up part skeins etc.
Main Colour: 47yds/43m, 53yds/48m, 79yds/72m, 85yds/76m, 98yds/89m.
Contrast Colour: 43yds/39m, 47yds/43m, 56yds/51m, 59yds/54m, 63yds/57m.
Oddment of accent yarn for casting on (optional).
Needles
3.75mm and 4mm short circulars or dpns for knitting in the round.
Askew is available from all my usual outlets from this page
Happy knitting
