Introducing issue eleven : head over heels!

This issue, issue eleven : head over heels, is dedicated to our love of accessories. Hats? We’ve got six. Socks? We’ve got six of those, too. Plus legwarmers, slippers, a scrunchie, a wristband, and even a drink coozie! Projects range from beginner to expert, with a little something for everyone (we hope you’ll agree)! We chose eight different stitch patterns and each pattern is featured in a pair (or trio!) of accessories. Becky and Melissa designed all of the patterns in this issue, and it was truly a labor of love.

Find all the pattern details below so you can have your yarn and needles ready to cast on while you await your copy. Find print copies of issue eleven : head over heels here, and digital copies here.

Without further ado, introducing issue eleven : head over heels!

Twisted

Cables. No pattern collection can be complete without at least one cable! Cables introduce new and fun ways to play with gauge and scale. From a narrow pair of stitches intertwined to wide overlapping plaits made up of a dozen or more stitches across, the possibilities are near-endless. While these twined stitches add decoration and warmth, they also reduce the elasticity of the knit. We’ve paired both of our cabled projects with stretchy ribbing to keep the squish factor high.

Hat

There’s so much forgiveness (read: stretchiness) in this squishy 2×2 ribbing that no matter what size hat you knit, you’re bound to know someone who can wear it, making it perfect for gift or charity knitting.

Cori Bartholomay lives in the small town of Conklin, New York, with her husband and their seven year old son. They strive to maintain a sustainable lifestyle, living off their land through gardening, preserving, and teaching their son to appreciate nature and all it has to offer. With a background as a beautician and hair coloring specialist, Cori has an eye for colors from subtle to bold and bright. Cori started dyeing yarn recently, and can be found displaying her beautiful Cori Bea Fiber Co. colorways at local craft fairs and farmers markets, and is building her website to make her yarn accessible to online shoppers. Her Magentalicious colorway is the perfect shade of magenta.

Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5); Infant (Toddler, Child, Teen/Adult, Adult Large).

Yarn: bulky weight: 80 (100, 110, 120, 130) yards/ 74 (92, 101, 110, 120) meters. (Optional pom pom will require additional yardage.)

Samples knit in: Cori Bea Fiber Co Bulky (100% superwash Merino; 106 yards/ 100g) in Magentalicious and Gritty Knits Chonk (100% superwash Merino; 75 yards/ 100g) in Blue Ice.

Socks

Not wanting to be overshadowed in the competition for cozy, the socks are knit with fingering weight held double (one strand of DK will work, too, but be sure to check your gauge!). Pair with sweats and an extra large mug of coffee for optimal comfort. 

Natasha Sills of Gritty Knits lives in Houston, Texas, and loves its big city vibes and a population so large and diverse that one can always find like-minded people to share life with. Natasha’s artistic interests span much of the fiber arts: knitting, crocheting, spinning, weaving, and sewing, but also venture away from fiber to include painting and photography. Natasha’s Nom base knits like a dream and wears like a cloud.

Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4); Preteen (Adult Small – Medium, Adult Large, Adult XL).

Yarn: fingering weight (held double): 400 (600, 700, 800) yards/ 367 (551, 642, 734) meters.

Samples knit in: Gritty Knits Nom (80% Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% nylon; 430 yards/ 100g) in Blue Ice, and CoriBea Fiber Co. Sock (100% superwash Merino; 400 yards/ 100g) in Magentalicious.

Sporty Shorties

Eva Szabo is the dyer behind Seismic Yarn & Dyeworks, based just outside of San Francisco, California, where she makes colors to rock your world on some pretty exquisite bases. A San Francisco native, Eva is no stranger to earthquakes, and she created Seismic Yarn to share her earth shattering colorways. Along came her children, affectionately known as the “Dye Interns,” and together they explored the world of neon and black light / ultraviolet reactive colors and haven’t looked back. Eva’s Butter Sock base knits up beautifully and these colors really do glow.

Socks

While tall and cozy socks are a staple for many knitters, both in their knitting projects and sock drawers, short socks are wonderfully versatile for warm weather. Not to mention how incredibly fast these fly off the needles! Short rows on the back of the ankle keep the socks from slipping down inside your shoes while you’re cruising around town, project bag in hand. Stripes are added at the arch to give them a sporty feel, but leave them out if you’d like to stockinette on autopilot through the foot.

Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5); Child (Preteen, Adult Small – Medium, Adult Large, Adult XL).

Yarn: fingering weight: 

MC: 80 (90, 100, 110, 125) yards/ 74 (83, 92, 101, 115) meters;

CC1: 15 (18, 20, 25, 30) yards/ 14 (17, 19, 23, 28) meters;

CC2: 12 (14, 16, 18, 20) yards/ 11 (13, 15, 17) meters.

Samples knit in: Seismic Yarn and Dyeworks Seismic Butter Sock (85% Extra Fine superwash Merino, 15% nylon; 437 yards/ 100g) in Better Days are Coming, Daly City Birthday Party, I’m Seven Now!, and Party All Night as main colors, with Pretty Pretty Princess Mini Skein Set for contrast colors.

Wristband

We couldn’t justify pairing a hat with socks meant for summer, so we dug into the eighties fashion (and slang!) archives to resurrect a bodacious wristband. Use it to wipe that grody sweat from your face while you work out so you don’t look hella gnarly. As if!

Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5); Child (Preteen, Adult Small – Medium, Adult Large, Adult XL).

Yarn: fingering weight: 

MC: 80 (90, 100, 110, 125) yards/ 74 (83, 92, 101, 115) meters;

CC1: 15 (18, 20, 25, 30) yards/ 14 (17, 19, 23, 28) meters;

CC2: 12 (14, 16, 18, 20) yards/ 11 (13, 15, 17) meters.

Samples knit in: Seismic Yarn and Dyeworks Seismic Butter Sock (85% Extra Fine superwash Merino, 15% nylon; 437 yards/ 100g) in Daly City Birthday Party and I’m Seven Now! as main colors, with Pretty Pretty Princess Mini Skein Set for contrast colors.

Lumpy

Consisting of knits and purls, the staggered single and double ribbing rhythmically alternate throughout this pattern, and there’s no need for a defined separate “ribbing” section on the cuff of the socks or brim of the hat; instead, jump right into the lumpy pattern with no worry about the edges curling. You may recognize the stitch pattern from Twelve Days of Knitmas 2021, Days 1 and 12. Many intricate stitch arrangements are complemented best by solids or tonals, but this stitch’s textural composition is so uniform that it will make any colorway shine.

Hat

This textured pattern makes for a great slouchy hat, especially with the short section of crown decreases that bring the hat to an abrupt but beautiful end. 

Stephanie is the owner and dyer of Verse Yarns in Bel Air, Maryland, where she creates small batches of hand-dyed yarn. The Verse Yarns logo is symbolic of living in the present and built on the philosophy that each maker shares a story through their handmade items. Stephanie’s desire is to create beautiful hand-dyed yarns for your handmade items so that a “verse” from her story may be shared in yours. Her BFL (Blue-Faced Leicester) base is perfect for sturdy, long-wearing, wonderful-feeling socks without nylon.

Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6); Baby (Toddler, Child, Adult Small, Adult Medium, Adult Large).

Yarn: DK weight: 

Beanie: 100 (110, 120, 145, 175, 210) yards/ 92 (101, 110, 133, 160, 192) meters;

Slouchy: 120 (135, 150, 180, 220, 260) yards/ 111 (124, 138, 165, 202, 239) meters.

Samples knit in: Verse Yarns MCN DK (80% superwash Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% nylon; 231 yards/ 100g) in Patina, and Queen’s Yarn Boutique Delirious DK (100% superwash Merino; 231 yards/ 100g) in Gemstone.

Socks

The Lumpy Socks confine the lumpy stitches completely to the leg in order to prevent a Princess and the Pea situation from happening inside your shoes. Simple stockinette leaves the foot smooth and untouched by purl bumps, making for the best in-shoe and in-slipper fit.

Roshelle Anderson is the owner and dyer of Queen’s Yarn Boutique and host of the like-named YouTube podcast. Her yarn bases are named after Prince songs, as she has fond memories of listening to Prince’s Diamonds and Pearls on cassette tape as a little girl with her daddy, Wendell. Her shop name is a tribute to her amazing and beautiful Grandma Queen, and Roshelle hopes to grow up to be as awesome and wise as she was. Her Bronzer colorway has incredible depth to it, with a sheen that catches the light beautifully.

Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5); Child (Preteen, Adult Small – Medium, Adult L, Adult XL).

Yarn: fingering weight: 200 (250, 330, 375, 420) yards/ 184 (230, 303, 344, 385) meters. 

Samples knit in: Queen’s Yarn Boutique Kiss Sock (75% superwash Merino, 25% nylon; 463 yards/ 100g) in Bronzer, and Verse Yarns 2-ply BFL (80% Bluefaced Leicester, 20% nylon; 400 yards/ 100g) in Americano.

Lattice

Sometimes all it takes are simple knit and purl stitches to create a complicated-looking design. This faux lattice patterning is timeless and refined, best complemented by a solid or tonal skein, and elevated with Olive & Two Ewe’s beautiful tweed.

Carolyn Edgar and Michelle Christoph met a hundred years ago in their past lives as social workers in a small nonprofit agency. A few years ago, they reconnected and found they had developed a mutual love for fiber crafting, a shared joy that led them to re-bond instantly, and together they began dyeing their own yarns in central Florida. Quickly, they decided they wanted to share their colorways with others, and Olive & Two Ewe Studios was born. They both adore their Yarny Ewes Facebook community and all of the inspiration that the creative knitting group provides. Michelle and Carolyn look forward to bringing back Yarn Lounge, a quarterly yarn groupie event in Florida that brings together crafters of all walks of life with the common focus of love of fiber crafts and the opportunity for togetherness. Their Tennyson base is a wonderful blend of BFL and tweed for long-lasting, sophisticated socks.

Socks

The Lattice Socks feature an all-over lattice design on the leg which, after a classic heel flap and turn, flows into simple stockinette for the most comfortable fit around the foot.

Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6); Child (Preteen, Adult Small, Adult Medium, Adult Large, Adult XL).

Yarn: fingering weight: 200 (250, 350, 400, 460, 480) yards/ 184 (230, 321, 367, 422, 440) meters. Exact yardage will vary based on foot length and leg height.

Samples knit in: Olive & Two Ewe Tennyson (85% Bluefaced Leicester, 15% nylon NEP; 438 yards/ 100g) in Copper and Nautical Wheelers.

Hat

The Lattice Hat uses the same all-over lattice design, which is continued through the crown decreases. DK weight yarn makes this a quick and cozy knit, perfect for gifting to knit worthy loved ones. The only question will be to pom or not to pom.

Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7); Preemie (Baby, Child, Adult Small, Adult Medium, Adult Large, Adult XL).

Yarn: DK weight: 90 (100, 110, 120, 145, 175, 210) yards/ 83 (92, 101, 110, 133, 160, 192) meters.

Samples knit in: Olive & Two Ewe Tennyson DK (85% superwash Merino, 15% nylon NEP; 231 yards/ 100g) in Charcoal and Broody.

Windows to My Sole

If you hadn’t noticed by now, we love a good pun. This small, easy Fair Isle motif is reminiscent of windows, with a touch of contrast color peeking through each pane, offering just the smallest glimpse into the wearer’s sole.

Karida Collins of Neighborhood Fiber Co. and Ann Weaver met in 2011 when Ann was teaching a class at Fibre Space in Alexandria, Virginia, to support her self-published book of patterns, Craft. Work. Knit. Ann and Karida teamed up with the team at Harrisville Designs, who shared their years of experience and expertise about wool, yarn, and the milling process. The initial round of Plied North Ave was dyed in small amounts and hand-plied by Ann on her spinning wheel. Each combination of colors was then knit in a few long strips on a knitting machine. The process was painstaking, precise, and SLOW. However, the results justified it all. This yarn is the bomb.

Socks

Windows to My Sole are short ankle socks that knit up in a heartbeat and feature a classic heel flap and turn. Trimmed with just a few rows of colorwork that’s accomplished at the very beginning, they’ll truly fly off your needles. The desire for a sole mate will have you banishing second sock syndrome and casting on again right away.

Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5); Child 2 – 6, (Child 10 – 12, Adult S – M, Adult L, Adult XL).

Yarn: fingering weight: 

MC: 100 (125, 150, 175, 200) yards/ 92 (115, 138, 161, 184) meters; and

CC: 35 (45, 55, 65, 75) yards/ 32 (42, 51, 60, 69) meters.

Samples knit in: Plied North Ave (100% wool; 215 yards/ 50g) in Sauerkraut and Graffiti Alley, and Lady Day and The Gateway.

Scrunchie

Scrunchies, another fashion classic, are back! Hands down and ponytails up, this is the perfect gift for your knitworthy, fashion-conscious teen, not to mention a great opportunity to use up some of those sock leftovers taking over your stash.

Size: One size fits most. 

Yarn: fingering weight: 50 yards/ 47 meters MC and 40 yards/ 38 meters CC.

Samples knit in: Plied North Ave (100% wool; 215 yards/ 50g) in Sauerkraut and Graffiti Alley, and Lady Day and The Gateway.

Tiny Bobbles

When bobbles first re-emerged as a fashion trend a few years ago, neither one of us jumped on the bandwagon. Over the past year, though, Melissa has been won over by the cute little nups adorning many accessories, and she managed to sneak these two designs into the issue.

Samantha Furst entered the fiber world about ten years ago, after her third baby was born. She started out crocheting photo props for babies; some of the most popular items were hockey gear and cowboy boots and hats. She wrote her own crochet patterns for a helmet and for the breezer pants that are quintessential to the hockey uniform. Lavender Lune started out as Samantha’s crochet business and became Lavender Lune Yarn Co. when she began hand dyeing yarn. We used two sets of her gorgeous colorways to create two complementary sets.

Hat

When knitted with fingering weight, bobbles add a fantastic three-dimensional texture that really pops. The Tiny Bobbles Hat features a symmetrical pattern of these knitted bumps complemented by twisted ribbing for a clean, classy look while still shouting fun.

Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5); Baby (Child, Adult Small, Adult Medium, Adult Large).

Yarn: heavy fingering weight: 180 (210, 290, 325, 400) yards/ 165 (193, 266, 299, 367) meters.

Samples knit in: Lavender Lune Yarn Co Cashmere Sock (80% superwash Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% nylon; 383 yards/ 100g) in Alice and Wild Horses.

Legwarmers

Short legwarmers adorned with bobbles are a fun sock-knitting alternative. Pair them with shortie socks in the winter to keep your ankles warm, or wear them as a warm layer on the way to the gym. The Tiny Bobbles Legwarmers mirror each other with their bobbles organized on a background of reverse stockinette bordered by twisted ribbing.

Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7); Child (Preteen, Adult Small, Medium, Large – XL, 2XL – 3XL, 4XL – Adult 5XL).

Yarn: DK weight: 150 (175, 230, 290, 350, 410, 460) yards/ 137 (161, 211, 267, 321, 376, 422) meters. 

Samples knit in: Lavender Lune Yarn Co. DK MCN (80% superwash Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% nylon; 231 yards/ 100g) in Wild Horses and Alice.

Snowflakes

A universally recognized image of winter, the snowflake is a perfect accent to those cold weather knits. The first snowflakes to fall each year are magical for adults and little children alike as they run to the window in awe to look at the tiny crystal hexagons gently drifting out of the clouds and down to earth.

Hudson Valley Fibers is an Upstate New York collaboration between Gail Parrinello of the Cornwall Yarn Shop and Mary Jeanne Packer of the Battenkill Fiber Mill. Together they partnered on the creation of Hudson Valley Fibers, a completely local yarn line exclusive to Cornwall Yarn Shop. They reached out to other local fiber friends and created The Hudson Valley Textile Project, a farm-to-fabric supply chain and community of farmers, dyers, millers, designers, makers, distributors, and retailers who work together to share their knowledge and resources to plan maker education and consumer outreach initiatives to invest in materials and finished goods sourced and created in the Hudson River Watershed.

Slippers

Thrummed soles make these slippers incredibly cozy with plenty of cushioning to keep your toes off those freezing cold floors this winter. The sole is knit first, thrumming the snowflake design, then the top of the slipper is picked up and knit in a single piece that is folded around the ankle and anchored in place with a fun pom or a big button.

Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5).

Yarn: worsted weight: 199 (256, 270, 293, 307) yards/ 182 (234, 246, 268, 281) meters. 

Fiber: You will need roving in your preferred color to create thrums. For the thrum pattern to show up well, choose contrasting colors. 

Samples knit in: Hudson Valley Fibers Hudson (50% Alpaca, 50% Corriedale; 184 yards/ 100g) in Blueberry and Mineral Springs. 

Hat

Keep your head warm this winter while you battle the frost, ice, snow, clouds, and blustery windchill. Hudson Valley Fibers Hudson Sport is a wonderful blend of Alpaca and Corriedale, both of which lend well to warmth. The softness of the Alpaca complements the rustic Corriedale beautifully for next to skin softness without losing its natural rugged wooliness.

Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6); Baby (Toddler, Child, Adult Small, Adult Medium, Adult Large).

Yarn: sport weight: 

MC: 135 (145, 160, 170, 190, 200) yards/ 124 (133, 147, 156, 174, 183) meters;

CC: 20 (21, 22, 23, 24, 25) yards/ 19 (20, 21, 21, 22, 23) meters.

Samples knit in: Hudson Valley Fibers Hudson Sport (50% Alpaca, 50% Corriedale; 317 yards/ 100g) in Blueberry and Mineral Springs.

Little Boxes 

Named for Malvina Reynolds’ 1968 song, our Little Boxes aren’t made of ticky tacky but instead come to life in Emma’s Yarn Hella Hanks, a delightful blend of Merino, Cashmere, and nylon.

Emma Dobratz began dyeing yarn at the age of fifteen as part of a homeschool project that her mom, Laura, set up as a fun way to learn ratios. It turned out that Emma had a natural eye for color, as well as the perfect place to display small batches of her hand dyed yarn in her parents’ local yarn shop, Four Purls, in Winter Haven, Florida. Emma’s small afterschool business soon took off and she teamed up with her older sister, Aspen, who had just graduated from the University of South Florida. Emma and Aspen are the main dyers and run Emma’s Yarn together.

Hat

The Little Boxes Beanie is a fitted hat with stunning crown decreases that incorporate the stripes all the way to the very top.

Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4); Child (Adult Small, Adult Medium, Adult Large).

Yarn: fingering weight: 

MC: 90 (110, 140, 180) yards/ 82 (101, 129, 166) meters; and

CC: 120 (140, 170, 210) yards/ 110 (129, 156, 193) meters.

Samples knit in: Emma’s Yarn Hella Hank (80% superwash Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% nylon; 600 yards/ 150g) in Himalayan Salt (MC) and Cherry Merlot (CC); Best Buds (MC) and Kale (CC) and; Nailed It (MC) and Foxy Lady (CC).

Socks

The Little Boxes Socks integrate the same two simple Fair Isle patterns, using the stripes on the heel and sole, leaving the little boxes for the leg and instep. The heel maintains the striping through a few diversions from the standard heel flap and turn, and the result is incredible.

Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4); Adult Small (Adult Medium, Adult Large, Adult XL).

Yarn: fingering weight: 

Standard (6”/ 15cm leg): 

MC: 180 (200, 220, 240) yards/ 166 (184, 202, 221) meters; and

CC: 150 (170, 190, 210) yards/ 138 (156, 175, 193) meters.

Samples knit in: Emma’s Yarn Hella Hank (80% superwash Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% nylon; 600 yards/ 150g) in Cherry Merlot (MC) and Himalayan Salt (CC); Aloha (MC) and No Place Like Home (CC).

Coozie

Finally, we have the adorable Little Boxes Coozies that are fabulously fun to knit! With a similar circumference and gauge to the Little Boxes Socks, the coozies make a great alternative to a boring square swatch.

Sizes: 1 (2).

To fit: skinny can (regular can);

Yarn: fingering weight: 

MC: 50 (60) yards/ 46 (55) meters;

CC: 40 (50) yards/ 37 (46) meters.

Samples knit in: Emma’s Yarn Hella Hank (80% superwash Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% nylon; 600 yards/ 150g) in Cherry Merlot and Himalayan Salt; Aloha and No Place Like Home; Navy Blazer and In Your Dreams; and Foxy Lady and Nailed It.

Thanks so much for checking out our head over heels issue! We’d like to think there’s something for everyone in this collection, and we hope you found a design that leaves you itching to cast on.

xo

Melissa and Becky