When Natasha of Unplanned Peacock Studios asked me if I wanted to be a part of her fundraising efforts to support Urban Peak I jumped at the chance. UPP yarns are some of my favorites and the colors that were being suggested for this years Rainbow Unicorn of Love sounded fantastic.
I came up with a pattern idea, being familiar with the yarn base already from my own knitting, and waited patiently for the yarn to arrive.
Natasha had outdone herself in creating the two colorways and I had asked for a companion color to go along with one of them so that I could show case several different methods of creating the infinity loops that I had in mind. In true "this lady does nothing in half measures" style she sent me not one, but two companion colorways, a bright and smooth butterscotch that pairs perfectly with the Spicy Rainbow and a brilliant sapphire blue that does the same for the Icy Rainbow.
I stuck with my original plan of showing one loop in a single skein of yarn and the others in a mix of two skeins of yarn, but at the end of the knitting I couldn't let the leftovers be.
And so, I thought about companion knits to go with those loops, using more of the companion colors.
As the proceeds from the patterns are going to help with fundraising for homeless teens, I did the sensible thing and asked some teens. (Luckily I have a couple around the house for just such research projects) They decided what was needed to go with the loops were some hats. Hats with just the right amount of slouch to tuck your hair into (if you have long hair, which one did right up until the day the hat was finished and then she cut it! Argghhh) and long ribbing to hold it in place.
Using one of the stitch patterns from Hugs and Stardust, the infinity loop, and worked in a simple two row stripe these hats used up just about all I had left of the special colorways.
Which is kind of sad because I was really enjoying playing with them!*
So presenting Hugs and Stardust Hats.
Stats:
Slouchier - shown in Unplanned Peacock Twinkle Twist Sapphire and Icy Rainbow.
Less Slouchy - shown in Unplanned Peacock Twinkle Twist Butterscotch and Spicy Rainbow.
Sizes (US) 2 and 5 circular or double pointed needles for working in the round.
I suggest one stitch marker and a large eyed tapestry needle for very carefully weaving in your ends, you can carry the yarn not being worked up as the color changes are every two rows and with this stitch pattern you will not see the "float", and if you weave the few ends you do have in carefully, you have a fully reversible hat. Gentle stripes on one side, a wild and crazy riot of color on the other. (TDQ likes wild and crazy, TOB prefers the simple stripes.)
As with Hugs and Stardust the infinity loops, sales of this pattern are going to be donated to Urban Peak, along with what Unplanned Peacock collects to Urban Peak's efforts at helping homeless youth.
Luckily my models were willing to go out for a photoshoot, even if it did involve hats, during some of the hotter days of the week. Those magic whispered words of poke-stop and pokemon are still working! But.....
They want you to know it was very hot and tiring work!
Up next, more adventures in designing, Ravellenics Style.
~M
*I am really hoping that UPP will have some of that yarn when they come to Ohio in the fall for Wool Gathering. I have been taking peaks at the new color lines Natasha is creating and have a "short list" of must haves that is about a mile long. I think that my usual pack mules had better get in some practice workouts before we go.
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