This is a second version of a pattern done (the first version is a lightweight, lace cowl, but the pattern works just as nicely in two color brioche) after a friend went on a vacation to Scotland.

While going through project notes, and casting about for something to do after my Mom died in 2016, I found the original penciled chart, and noticed the first row looked like it spelled “LORRI”. Interestingly (to me, at least), NASA had sent up the New Horizons Spacecraft with an instrument called LORRI (Long Range Reconnaissance Imager) in ear...

This is another brioche pattern loosely based on fluid dynamics observations, and while not an entirely accurate representation of the form these vortices make, it does have some resemblance to the alternating swirls of a Kármán vortex street.

2017June24 UPDATE NOTE: The original PDF was missing the instruction to join the cast-on edge in the round. The file has been corrected and updated.

Using slipped stitches to do colorwork is a great way to use smaller amounts of heavier-weight yarn together and not have too much extra bulk like fair-isle or stranded colorwork would produce. It’s much easier than it looks and still has plenty of stretch. This is an excellent way to use smaller, leftover bits of your favorite yarns.

Using slipped stitches to do colorwork is a great way to use smaller amounts of heavier-weight yarn together and not have too much extra bulk like fair-isle or stranded colorwork would produce. It’s much easier than it looks and still has plenty of stretch. This is an excellent way to use smaller, leftover bits of your favorite yarns.

Make sure to check your gauge with this pattern. The yarn used (stretchy wools vs non-stretchy cotton/alpaca/bamboos) will make a large difference in how the hat fits. I had to step down needle size to get a good gauge because of using non-stretchy yarn in the hat shown.

There are two chart options. One for a lacy look, or a second version that has a spiffy way to tighten the holes for a denser fabric. It might seem intimidating at first (because of the cables, decreases, increases, and twists) but with patience, it’s a good intermediate-beginner project to try new techniques.

While she hated wearing hats, my Mom, a nurse by profession who worked night shift for years, was an avid coffee drinker. She died last year, just days before her 67th birthday, after living with Rheumatoid Arthritis and complications for decades.

This is a beanie/toque type hat that uses both standard and twisted stitches for cables to create added texture to the design. It’s definitely not meant for the faint of heart, but the results are well worth the effort.