ISOBEL'SHOPE By Diane M. Edgerly
As someone who follows the Downton Abbey series, & also one who also has experienced the death of a son, I could fully understand the character's emptiness, (in episode 1 of season 4) and then see her find the hope of the light of life again (when the character of Isobel Crawley was challenged to draw on her strength to help another who was also in need). A mother never forgets her child. But your heart is also never completely empty either. There is always something to give to others and to yourself. Description: This is a slouchy hat, knit in the round. It incorporates cables, seed stitch and an oblique lace knit stitch. One size to fit approx. 20-22" head circumference when stretched. Needles: size US 6 and US 8 - 16" circular needles, and also size 8 US DPNs, and the appropriate size cable needle for the brim. You will also need a yarn needle for weaving in your ends and stitch markers. Yarn: 220 yards of worsted weight yarn (l had left over, but didn't measure the remaining amount). The yarn used in my hat was Lorna's Laces Shepherds Worsted in Douglas Fir.
INSTRUCTIONS: (casting on)
With smaller (size US 6 needles) cast on 105 stitches (I used the German twisted cast on but any stretchy cast on can be used). Here's a link to a good video tutorial for this cast on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfFadEumBak. Join in the round being careful not to twist your stitches and place a marker (different from the others to be used) to indicate the beginning of your round. (You will have 5 sections for the brim, with 21 stitches in each section) Row 1: (K1 tbl, P1 - three times) K4, P2, K4, P1, (K1 tbl, P1 -two times) PM (place marker) Row 2: repeat row 1 Row 3: (K1 tbl, P1 - three times), C4B (slip 2 stitches onto a cable needle and hold in back, knit the next 2 stitches off your left needle, then the 2 from the cable needle), P2, C4F (slip the next 2 stitches onto a cable needle and hold in front, knit the next two stitches from your left needle, then the two from your cable needle), P1, (K1 tbl, P1 - two times). Rows, 4, 5, & 6: Repeat row #1. Row 7: Repeat row 3 (cable row). Rows 8, 9, & 10: Repeat row 1. Row 11: Repeat row 3 (cable row). Rows 12, 13, 14: Repeat row 1. Row 15: Repeat row 3 (cable row). Rows 16, 17, 18: Repeat row 1. Row 19: Repeat row 3 (cable row). Row 20 (lncrease row - you will be increasing 3 stitches in each section. You will have 24 stitches in each section after this increase row for 120 total stitches around). FOR ROW 20: K1 tbl, M1 (make one stitch - see abbreviations on last page), P1, (K1 tbl, P1 - two times), K4, P1, M1, P1, K4, P1, K1 tbl, P1, K1 tbl, M1, P1. This completes the brim and you will now start using your size Us 8 circular needles for the remainder of the hat. Row 21: knit around plain. SEED STITCH SECTION: Row 22: K1, P1 around (slipping your markers as you come to them) Row 23: P1, K1 around Row 24: K1, P1 around Row 25: P1, K1 around Row 26: K1, P1 around Row 27: P1, K1 around OBLIQUE LACE SECTION: (Continue to slip your markers as you come to them) Row 28: YO, K2 tog (around). Row 29: knit around Row 30: YO, K2 tog (around). Row 31: knit around Row 32: YO, K2 tog (around). Row 33: knit around 2nd SEED STITCH SECTION: Row 34: K1, P1 around (slipping your markers as you come to them) Row 35: P1, K1 around Row 36: K1, P1 around Row 37: P1, K1 around Row 38: K1, P1 around Row 39: P1, K1 around GARTER STITCH SECTION (knit in the round) Row 40: knit one row Row 41: purl one row Row 42: knit one row Row 43: purl one row Row 44: knit one row Row 45: purl one row (remove all markers on this row to reposition them on the next row) ON THIS NEXT ROW YOU WILL BE PLACING MARKERS AGAIN BUT WITH A DIFFERENT STITCH COUNT IN BETWEEN THE MARKERS. YOU WILL HAVE 8 SECTIONS WITH 15 IN THIS FIRST SECTION ROW. THIS BEGINS THE DECREASE SECTION: (Switch to your double pointed needles as necessary for the decreases) Row 46: Knit 15, PM (place marker) around. Row 47: K1, SSK, K10, K2 tog. Row 48: (and all remaining even rows) knit around. Row 49: K1, SSK, K8, K2 tog. Row50:knit Row 51: K1, SSK, K6, K2 tog. Row 52: knit Row 53: K1, SSK, K4, K2 tog Row 54: knit Row 55: K1, SSK, K2, K2 tog Row 56: knit Row 57: K1, SSK, K2 tog. Row 58: knit Row 59: K2 together around Row 60: K2 together around Cut a length of yarn and with yarn needles gather remaining stitches, secure on the inside and weave in your ends.
NOTE: I blocked my hat flat until mostly dry, then finished blocking it on an inflated balloon using a small bowl to keep the balloon from falling over. When blocking be careful to not stretch the brim rib stitches.
ABBREVIATIONS USED:
K1: knit one stitch P1: purl one stitch K1 f&b (an increase stitch) - knit into the front of a stitch without removing the stitch, then into the back of the same stitch. This makes one increased stitch. YO: yarn over PM: place marker K2 tog: (a decrease stitch) knit two stitches together M1: (this makes one stitch) with your left needle - pick up the horizontal strand between two stitches and knit into this stitch through the back of the loop. C4B (a cable stitch) place 2 stitches on a cable needle and hold the cable needle in the back of your work. Knit the next 2 stitches off of your left needle, then the 2 stitches of the cable needle. C4F (a cable stitch) place 2 stitches on a cable needle and hold in front of your work. Knit the next two stitches from your left needle, then the two stitches from your cable needle. SSK: slip, slip, knit (a decrease stitch) slip one stitch knit wise and the 2nd one purl wise. Knit the two together through the back loop.
Copyright @ Diane M. Edgerly, 2014.
This pattern is for personal use only and may not be used to produce goods for commercial purposes. This pattern may not be reprinted without the author's permission. \*\* Note the combination of the seed stitch and the oblique lace stitch pattern was inspired from The Season 4 of Downton Abbey shawl mystery knit-along (clue #1 only) hosted and designed by Kristen Helmreich of Jimmy Beans Wool hosted on Ravelry.
