Ishbel the 4th

So here she is, my 4th Ishbel scarf/shawl - but without the pretty swallowtail edging. I didn´t manage to calculate exactely where to start the lace pattern to make sure the yarn would last for named edging, but I am quite happy with the result anyway. The yarn is Dreamline Soul from Du store alpakka;  featherlight tubeknit yarn. The colour is called 210 variegated aubergine and is made from 68 % baby alpaca and 32 % nylon. I originally bought this precious yarn with just a vague plan for knitting a hat, hoping it would be enough for a neckwarmer or something as well. My first project using this yarn was a baby blanket I knit last summer, and it turned out so very soft and delicate that I just had to make something for myself as well :o)

As usual my main focus for a hat is that it should keep my ears warm, and I often end up with a double hem.This time was no exception. I folded the very long hem and fastened it by knitting through one stitch picked up from the hemline and one original stitch on mu needles, before increasing for the looser part of the hat. 

The hem is tight fitting and the hat is quite small - but it would be easy to adjust the hat to a bigger size by casting on more stitches for the 2 x 2 rib (making sure it divides by 4) and then increasing extra stitces for the hat section (making sure it divides by 8). I knitted my hat in the round, starting with circulars and changing to dpns as the decrease demanded it.

Snug hat, size small:

Cast on 100 st on 2,5 mm needles

Knit 2 x 2 rib for 15 cm

Fold and knit hemline together with existing stitces on needle as describedabove and knit in the cast on end as you go - or leave hem to be sewn in when the hat is finished.

Increase to 152 st by *knit 2, increase 1*, repeating from * to *

Continue knitting this pattern until the hat is the same height as your head when you tryit on:

1. round: *knit 4, purl 4*, repeat from * to *

2. round: knitt all stitches

Decrease like this:

1. round: *knit 1, knit 2tog, knit 1, purl 4*, repeat from * to *
2. round: knit all

3. round: *knit 3, purl 1 purl 2tog, purl one*, repeat from * to *

4. round: knit all

Repeat these rounds until a 1 x 1 rib is established (76 st)

Then knit one round of only knit 2tog (38 st)

Next round: knit all

Next round: knit 2tog (19 st)

Pull the thread double through the remaining stitches and fasten thread securely on reverse side and you are good to go!

Wearable stuff! Never mind the quirky expression and random background - I guess both are familiar to most bloggers trying to pose and shoot at the same time ;o)