I’m planning to make a two-color Barley hat to match the sweater.

Modifications: I do a matched pair of single decreases/increases on every row rather than doing pairs of double decreases/increases on every other row. I’ve done this before, and I like the look, especially on skinny stripes. In one way it’s easier: there’s no wondering if the row I’m doing is a ‘crease row or not--it always is. Working the pattern this way requires faith: if you try comparing the number of stitches you have in each section to a spreadsheet, you’ll be wrong every other row; if you have enough faith to knit the return row, your numbers will fix themselves.

On the increases, the trick is: (knit to the marker, slip the marker, m1) twice, then knit to the end on every row. Thus you’re increasing one side section and one center section stitch on each row. Result? A neat, lovely row of increases.

For the decreases: (knit to the marker, remove the marker, work a single decrease, replace the marker after the resulting stitch) twice, then knit to the end on every row. On every row, the first of the two stitches you’ll knit together will be the stitch you created on the previous row’s decrease. I often use SSK decreases, but choose the decrease of your choice.

There’s a lovely stripe arrangement in this BSJ. The stripe pattern was inspired by Franklin Habit. I’ve used this stripe pattern once and it looked lovely.

10 December 2014: Cast on and knitted first 12 rows. (1960 stitches including CO)
11 December 2014: rows 13-28, despite a dog trying to sleep in my lap. (2200 stitches)
12 December 2014: rows 29-61. (3470 stitches)
22 December 2014: rows 62-75.
25 December 2014: rows 76-103. Need buttons so I can decide the color of the button band.
26 December 2014: Bought buttons. Rows 104-114.
27 December 2014: Seamed and buttons added. Still needs blocking.

Baby Larry arrived three weeks early. He was born 22 January 2015. I delivered the BSJ and hat to his mother on the 23rd.