snowflower

In the depths of winter, wouldn’t a reminder of spring right on your head be nice? This hat is created entirely from flower and wave patterns traditionally used in mittens from Selbu, Norway, where they know something about long winters. The crown is made of 7 repeats of a thumb gusset pattern. These come together at the top of the hat to make a pattern like yet another flower, or maybe a snowflake. The body is made up of cuff patterns. The stranding of the wool, plus the bottom hem make for an extra toasty hat. I made it a little longer than the typical winter hat so that it is easily pulled down over the ears and forehead, giving a cloche-like effect.

Traditional Selbu mittens are always done in black and white, but I like a little color in my colorwork, so I spiced it up with a pale yellow, and a family of blue-greens that remind me of pine needles. The knitting itself isn’t hard, but the floral patterns sometimes require long carries, so be careful not to strand too tightly!

Yarns suggested: Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport- 1 ball in each of: Lullaby, Tornado Teal, Eucalyptus, and Silver Sage

Yarn weight: Sport / 5 ply (12 wpi)

Gauge:26 stitches and 32 rows = 4 inches in stranded stockinette in the round

Needle size : US 5/3.75 mm

$6.00

Copyright Melissa Dominguez 2006

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