Happy Monday, everyone! Alaskan Hero, my latest book for Love Inspired, is on the shelves now. In addition to being chock full of snow, romance, avalanche search-and-rescue dogs and goofy grizzly bear costumes, this book also features one of my favorite hobbies - knitting!
I learned how to knit last year as one of my New Year's resolutions, so I couldn't resist putting my heroine, Anya Petrova, in a church knitting group that knits warm winter hats for underpriviledged folks living in the hard to reach areas of Alaska. Along the way, she also knits a crazy striped hat for the hero, Brock Parker. And that hat ends up helping save someone's life.
No, I won't tell you who! It's a surprise.
If you'd like to try knitting Brock's hero hat, here's a special pattern that my knitting teacher was kind enough to create for the release of Alaskan Hero... Happy knitting and reading!
BROCK’S HERO HAT
Pattern and
photos by Wendy Pohlhammer
Skill level:
Easy
To fit head
size: 20” (22”, 24”)
Yarn used:
Worsted-weight 100% wool, such as Cascade 220 or Ella Rae Classic, needs about
60 grams each of red and off-white and small amounts of yellow, teal, orange, &
royal blue.
Knitting
needles: 16” US size 8 (5 mm) circulars & US size 8 (5 mm) double-pointed
needles.
Tools: stitch
markers, scissors, darning needle, pompom maker
Gauge: 20
stitches = 4” in stockinette
Work as follows:
With red, cast
on 80 (90, 100) stitches on circular needle.
Join to work in the round, placing a marker at the beginning of the
round. Work k 2, p 2 ribbing for 4
inches.
Change to
white and knit (stockinette) for 6 rounds.
Continue
color pattern as follows: 4 rounds yellow, 6 rounds white, 4 rounds teal, 6
rounds white, 4 rounds orange, 6 rounds white, 4 rounds red, 6 rounds white, 4
rounds blue, 6 rounds white. On last row
of white, place markers as follows:* K 16 (18, 20), place marker, repeat from *
to end of round.
Work decreases as follows, beginning
with yellow:
Round
1: * k2tog, k to marker, slip marker, repeat from * to end of round.
Round
2: knit
Repeat
these two rounds until 30 stitches remain, keeping the following color
progression: 2 more rounds yellow (for a total of 4 rounds of yellow), 6 rounds
white, 4 rounds orange, 6 rounds white (end of small size); med & large
continue with 4 rounds teal (end of med size); large only continue with 4
rounds white.
To finish:
Break yarn, leaving an 8-inch tail. Thread
tail through remaining stitches and pull tight.
Bring yarn to inside and take a few stitches across closure to
secure. Weave in all ends.
Make a 2 ½
inch wide pompom, following the instructions on the pompom maker. Attach pompom to top of hat.
© Wendy
Pohlhammer, 2013.
Posts
Did you make the hat in the photo, Teri? If so, I'm so impressed!! I'm still working on a scarf I started while writing Georgia Sweethearts last year! :)
ReplyDeleteUm...no. Wendy made that hat. I have yet to attempt a project with more than one color yarn!
ReplyDeleteLove the hat's tie in with your story.
ReplyDeleteI want to know how it saves a life!
Must read the book!
That's right! I'm not telling. ;)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGreat hat. I'm a knitter too!
ReplyDeleteI crochet. I knitted a purse once and the strap was so long the purse hit the floor. Ack.
ReplyDeleteKnitting is on my bucket list.
LOL Pam. Maybe you should have used smaller needles.
ReplyDeleteI crochet, as well. Knitting is much easier, in my opinion. But that might be because I took knitting lessons, and crocheting is something I just picked up from my grandmother.