beanie – Cowtown Knits

The Pippa Toque

June 22, 2016June 22, 2016Leave a comment

I’ve decided to start hosting the Pippa Toque pattern on my website. The pattern is still the same, it’s just downloadable from here now. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the download link.

Pippa Hero cropped

The Pippa Toque is a cute little hat to keep heads and ears toasty and warm on cold winter days. The close stitches and stranded colour work make this a nice thick fabric for great insulation.

You can find a photo tutorial for making pompoms here in the Tutorials section of the website.

Suggested Yarn
Jil Eaton Minnow Merino; 100% Extra Fine Superwash Merino; 77 yds 70 m / 1.76 oz 50 g.
MC: 2 skeins of Mango (4751).
CC’s: Less than 20 yds each of Elderberry (4727), Snow White (4701), Pinque (4789), Light Blue (4747), and Peacock (4709).

Needles
US #8 5 mm 16” (40 cm) circular and DPNs, long circular for magic loop or two circulars—or size needed to obtain gauge as listed.
US #6 4 mm 16” (40 cm) circular—or 2 sizes smaller than that needed to obtain gauge.

Notions
Stitch marker, tapestry needle.

Gauge
23 stitches and 26 rows / 4 inches 10 cm in Chart 2, blocked.

Sizes
Finished measurement: 13.5 (15.75, 18, 20.25, 22.5)” / 34.5 (40, 45.5, 51.5, 57) cm circumference. Intended to be worn with 1” 2.5 cm of negative ease.
Note: Sample is shown in 18” 45.5 cm.

Skill Level
Intermediate: requires ability to work in the round, stranded colourwork, various increases and decreases.

Click the link below to download the pdf. I hope you enjoy the pattern and the hat!

Pippa Toque V3.1

Or maybe this hero

Re-Introducing the Pippa Toque

November 7, 2014Leave a comment

Check it out folks, I re-worked the Pippa Toque!

The previous version was written with yarn that had been discontinued. Although most people are comfortable with substituting yarn, others like to use the exact one called for in the pattern. I have recently fallen in love with the vivid, saturated colours of Jil Eaton Minnow Merino yarn and thought it would be perfect for this project. I was right!

I also wanted to update the pattern for more sizes and lay it out in my new pattern format. The pattern is now available in 5 sizes, from baby to adult.

All of this updating happened in a bit of a rush because I needed to have it ready for a fun event that’s happening tomorrow. I’ll have a booth (for the very first time) at the Calgary Fibre Arts Fair! If you stop by you can see all of my samples and even grab a free print copy of the Pippa Toque pattern. There will lots of other vendors and classes going on, and I’ve heard there’s some great door prizes! Please stop by and say hi if you’re in the area!

To find the free digital version of the pattern, click here! I hope you like it!

Introducing the Fernie Hat and the Powder Day e-book

October 20, 20143 Comments

It’s new release day!!!

First, let me tell you about the Powder Day e-book.

I’m so excited to be releasing my first collection of patterns. The book was released today with just the Fernie Hat, at a reduced price. As the other patterns get released (between now and January), the book will get updated. Buyers will get an updated version emailed to them each time an update comes out. Early buyers get the book at the seriously great price of $7. Each time a new pattern is added, the price goes up, so it will be $9 after the 2nd pattern is out, then $11 when the 3rd pattern is added, and then it will be the final price of $14 when all 4 patterns are there. And since you can already see what you’re getting, what have you got to lose?

And with the release of the e-book today also came the Fernie Hat, the first pattern in the collection.

The Fernie Hat features the figure-eight cable on a reverse stockinette stitch background. It starts with a twisted rib brim, which evolves into a set of 6 cables that eventually taper to the top. It’s finished off with a funky pompom, as all hats should be!

If you’re interested in just the hat then it’s available as an instant download on Ravelry for $5.

Once again, thank you to Eleanor Dixon for technical editing and to all of my testers for being the best group yet! And I can’t say enough of a thank you to my beautiful friend and model Tamara, who taught me to knit all those years ago!

Powder Day Sneak Peek!!!

October 19, 20141 Comment

I’m so darned excited to be putting together my very first collection of patterns, and can’t wait to tell everyone about it.

As you can tell by the name, the Powder Day collection is inspired by those epic days of deep, fresh snow. You know, when a couple very lucky people are the first ones to the top of the hill after a big dump, and they get to make fresh tracks. If those skiers are going for extra cheesy, they can make tracks that look just like this…

I wanted to mimic those figure-eight lines in the snow with a cool cable pattern, so I did. Then I fell in love with the cable and wanted to put it on everything. So I did! Fingerless mitts, a hat, full mitts, and a sweater.

It’s tricky to photograph something with a snow and ski theme when you’re limited to being in the city in October. But that’s what we tried to do this morning. I enlisted the help of 4 beautiful ski buddies, those very same ladies I used to ski with before we all had kids*. We gathered up some vintage skis, hot coffee and warm knits and headed down to an old barn in the middle of the city. I was hoping to pull off an apres ski feel, a bunch of friends hanging out at the lodge and warming up after a great day on the hill.

I will be releasing the patterns one-by-one over the next few months and will eventually group them all together in an e-book when they’re all out. For now, here’s a look at what’s to come.

* We called ourselves BOS back then – Bitches On Skis.

Introducing Hearts and Butterflies

December 2, 2013Leave a comment

New pattern day!

Despite my best efforts, my little girl is as girly as they come. When asked what she wanted on her hat the answer was definitively “Hearts, with a butterfly on top.” Well, my girl, ask and ye shall receive. I present you with the girliest hat ever.

This hat features an all-over heart design knit using stranded colorwork. The bottom of the hat is hemmed, providing a nice thick band to keep ears nice and toasty on cold days. There are also instructions for the optional butterfly to be sewn on after.

Sizes: Preemie (Newborn, Baby, Toddler, Child or Teen, Adult), fits 12 (14, 16, 18, 20, 22)” [30 (35, 40, 45, 50, 55) cm] circumference.

Another big thanks goes out to Eleanor Dixon for technical editing, and to the adorable Eloise (aka Doodie) for modeling!

From now until the end of Saturday, Dec. 7th, the pattern is available for 50% off!

And don’t forget, this is also eligible for all the Gift-A-Long fun!