Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Goodbye Guernsey - Hello Rikke Hat


I made this traditional guernsey sweater about 20 years ago and it has mostly just sat on the shelf. The yarn is the classic 5 ply, hard twisted wool that has been used for these seaman's garments for generations and I knit it up with smallish needles for a tight gauge. I made armhole gussets and mock side seams; the typical patterning decorates the front and back yokes. It is a fabulous sweater but I never, ever wear it. It might do for the back deck of a North Sea fishing boat but it is way too hot for my usual indoor life. 

I ripped out one of the sleeves, wound the yarn into balls and then unwound the balls into skeins. The skeins got a soapy soak, a few rinses, some towel squeezing and were hung to dry. Once again, the yarn was wound into balls. Ready to knit!


This hat pattern, Rikke, is popular for a reason. It was easy, fits well and will look good in many different colors and yarn types. It would also be very simple to adapt it to other gauges and head sizes. I'm going to make a couple of more!



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