Well this is strange?

My much-loved blog has been sorely neglected now for well over a year and a half 😳

There is a long list of reasons for the hiatus, but I won’t bore you with them now, except to say that I have, on many occasions, woke with every intention to post later that day, but…… Instead, I will explain the reason why I am finally here.

Kelly McClure aka @bohoknits recently posted a photo of her little boy Cameron wearing a gorgeous woolly hat on Instagram. Nothing particularly unusual about that, Kelly is, after all, a knitwear designer. Except, Kelly had tagged me in on the photo because the hat in question was the Folkestone Beach hat I had designed for Olann and back in 2017.

Sadly, Olann and is no more and I never did get round to sorting out he designs I’d written for the magazine (another thing I’d put on the longfinger). Anyway, following Kelly’s post, a few of her followers mentioned that they’d love to knit the pattern themselves.

So in a bid to listen to what the universe throws at us sometimes, here is the Folkestone Beach Pattern.

Folkestone Beach is a versatile, pixie-shaped hat that will suit everyone from newborn to teenager. The bobble detail pops throughout the hat to create a contemporary textured design, reminiscent of the shingle on Folkestone Beach.  

Materials

Yarn: DK  Preemie: 53 metres/58 yards, Newborn: 72 metres /79 yards, 
6 months: 102 metres /112 yards, 12 months: 121 metres /132 yards, Child/teen: 143 metres/156 yards

Shown in: Peter Pan Merino Baby (100% Pure Ultra Soft Superwash Wool: 116 metres/127 yards per 50g) Shades: Preemie 3031 Cream, Newborn 3044 Duck Egg, 6 months 3038 Apricot, 12 months 3036 Raspberry, Child/teen 3040 Lime

Needle size: 4 and 4.5mm or size to obtain gauge/tension. You can use DPNs or circular needles, whichever you’re most comfortable with.

Notions:  Stitch markers, tapestry needle

Size

Finished measurements

Preemie: 12 inch circumference
Newborn: 14 inch circumference
6 months: 16 inch circumference
12 months: 18 inch circumference
Child/teen: 20 inch circumference

Tension

5½ sts x 8 rows to 1” over pattern

Special Stitches

MB: Knit the next stitch, but do not lift it off the left-hand needle. Instead, place your knitted stitch from the right to left-hand needle. You have added 1 stitch. Repeat this action and add another stitch. (You have turned 1 st into 3, all on your left-hand needle).  Knit the new 2 stitches, then knit the third stitch through the back loop.  Pass the first two stitches over your third stitch.

Pattern notes:

If knitting in the round with interchangeable needles using a smaller needle in your left hand can help with slipping the stitches off easier.

If you pull the stitches immediately before and after the MB stitch, the bobble sits higher.

When working the row after your MB row, try to draw the stitches either side of the bobble tighter, to help your bobble pop.

Chart

Pattern

Row 1: Knit

Row 2: Knit

Row 3: *K1, MB, K4, repeat from * to end of row

Row 4: Knit

Row 5: Knit

Row 6: Knit

Row 7: *K4, MB, K1, repeat from * to end of row

Row 8: Knit

These 8 rows form the pattern, work number of rows as per instructions indicated for the size you are making.

Instructions

Using smaller needles cast on 60 (72, 84, 96, 108) stitches

Join to work in the round and complete 6 (6, 6, 8, 8) rows of 2×2 rib

Change to larger needles

Beginning with row 5 (1, 1, 5, 5) of pattern, work 23 (27, 35, 39, 43) rows in total. Your last row will be row 3 of the pattern.

Crown Shaping

Row 1: *K10, K2tog, repeat from * to end

Row 2: Knit

Row 3: *K9, K2tog, repeat from * to end

Row 4: *K4, MB, repeat from * to end

Row 5: K*8, K2tog repeat from * to end

Row 6: Knit

Row 7: * K7, K2tog repeat from * to end

Row 8: K1, MB, * K4, MB, K2, MB, repeat from * to last st, K1

Row 9: * K6, K2tog, repeat from * to end

Row 10: Knit

Row 11: * K5, K2tog, repeat from * to end

Row 12: *K3, MB, K2, repeat from * to end

Row 13: * K4, K2tog, repeat from * to end

Row 14: Knit

Row 15: * Knit 3, K2tog, repeat from * to end

Row 16: *K1, MB K2, repeat from * to end

Rows 17 and 18: Knit

Row 19: * K2, K2tog, repeat from * to end

Row 20: * K2, MB, repeat from * to end

Rows 21 and 22: Knit

Row 23: *K1, K2tog, repeat from * to end

Row 24: *K1, MB, repeat from * to end

Rows 25 and 26: Knit

Row 27: K (for preemie size K2tog and finish)

Row 28: *MB, K1, repeat from * to end

Rows 29 and 30: Knit

Row 31: *K2tog repeat from * to end

Finishing

Cut yarn, leaving a long tail and thread through remaining stitches.

Fasten off and sew in ends.

If you do block the hat, be careful not to squash the bobbles.

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You can download a pdf version of the pattern here (please let me know if you spot any mistakes)

Hope to be back again soon

Happy Making

(By the way, that’s Thom on the stairs watching me)

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