My upcoming hat design: Love Grows
I have a new pattern in the works and I wanted to give everyone a bit of a preview as I've just finished my design sample!
My starting point was wanting to come up with a design for my biggest woolly love, Cambrian Wool, in the double knit weight version. Cambrian Wool is sourced from Welsh Mule sheep (the Welsh breed crossbred with Bluefaced Leicester, a breed renowned for its soft wool) raised in the Cambrian Mountains of Wales.
I've stocked the 4-ply weight of Cambrian Wool since 2018 and it's always been my favourite yarn that I stock (and it's a tough field for that accolade!). Having brought in the DK version of this wonderful British Wool more recently, I can happily say that I love it just as much! I was inspired by my love of this beautiful Welsh Wool to cover my hat in hearts!
The idea of the pattern is that it reflects the way that, if we're very lucky, we accumulate love as we move through life. Love of family, friends and/or of partners. Some of those people will leave us along the way but the love always remains. So as you move through the colourwork chart, you'll find the hearts increase with frequency.
I wanted the hat to feel like a big, cosy hug. I often wish I'd made my slouchy hats that little bit slouchier so I've made this the slouchy hat of my dreams! Combined with a generous fold up brim this gives the warm, woolly hug I was after.
Cambrian DK is a wonderful, plump double knit weight wool. It is soft and bouncy with enough character and structure to be ideally suited for stranded colourwork, working beautifully in fair isle designs.
The slouchy style means this is a whole lot of hat but it's still a quick knit, especially once the stranded colourwork gets going. If you like the sort of project that isn't too technically difficult but does need you to keep your brain switched on, then this is perfect for you.
I might be a little bit in love with this hat, can you tell!?
I'm in the process of re-jigging the colourwork chart for other sizes and writing up the pattern but I couldn't wait to give you a preview of this design.
Kits in the lovely Cambrian Wool DK will be available and I'll come up with some alternative colour suggestions (I'm looking forward to that bit!).
My email subscribers will be the first to hear news of the release date and see previews of the colourways I put together for the kits so if you don't subscribe already, scroll to the bottom of this page and pop your details in. You'll receive a free printable project planner which could come in handy for the Love Grows hat!