Marilynn'sGardenKnitDesign: Plaited Slouch

1/27/13 My friend will be having her 40th birthday. She has always wanted to knit a white cable hat, but I know she is busy, and I’m working on the pattern for plaited leg warmers and hat. I really wanted to make her something special so I custom ordered from Yarnia. 40mohair/ 39wool/ 4silk/ 15cotton&gold/ 1lurex. I miscalculated, and the yarn arrived beautifully blended with 5 strands, but worsted weight. I really should have ordered a 6th strand, possibly hemp. Now available! I decided to strand the Yarnia with silk Ami had given me years ago because I like to make big projects. I hope this project is big enough to meet her expectations.

Plaited Slouch
Marilynn Blacketer '13

The Plaited Slouch works well in wool blend.

It looks really complicated, but it's made with series of cable 6 front, and cable 6 back.

It is a fun project if you like working with big needles!

Finished size: flat 20”, stretches to 24”circumference; height 10”

Gauge: 4 stitches =1” Check the gauge! Check for squishiness and elasticity in the fabric/hat.

Materials:

Yarn: Wool blend bulky weight 200 yards/ 7 ounces; 200m/200g

Photo: Plaited Slouch is knit in Yarnia custom blend: 40%mohair/ 39%wool/ 4%silk/ 15%cotton&gold/ 1%lurex worked with a strand of Jaeger Silk 4ply(discontinued).

Needles: Size US#10.5 , 16” circular needles, size US#11 ,24”circular needles, size US#11 set of double pointed needles, Size US#13 16”circular needles

Notions: Stitch markers, cable needle, tapestry needle

Abbreviations: k = knit p= purl Rnd/s=round/s sts=stitches cn=cable needle pm=place marker k2tog=knit 2 together p2tog=purl 2 together CO=cast on m1= make one stitch

(Helpful hint: I prefer the m1 (m1tbp): place point of working (right-hand) needle behind other needle, inserting needle from the top through the purl stitch below next stitch, and knit, then knit the stitch above.)

Special Stitches:

Cable 6 Front: c6f: slip 3 stitches to cable needle and hold in front of work, k3, then k3 sts from cn.

Cable 6 Back: c6b: slip 3 stitches to cable needle and hold in back of work, k3,then k3 sts from cn

2 Right Cross: 2rc: slip 1 st to cn and hold in back of work, k1, then k st from cn

(Helpful hint: for working 2rc I prefer: K2tog, leave on left needle, knit first stitch again, drop both stitches from left needle.)

Directions:

Use the long-tail cast-on method, with size #10.5, 16”circular needles. Cast on 80 stitches.

Place marker & join together by knitting first stitch being careful not to twist.

Brim rnds 1-10: Knit1 , purl1 rib

Set up for hat as follows:

Brim rnd 11: With size #11, 24” circular needles, *M1, k2; repeat from * to end. (Helpful hint: you'll be making a stitch and knitting the knit, then knit the purl.) 120sts

Brim rnd 12: *K18, p2, pm, k2, p2, k8,k2tog, p2, k2, p2,(pm); repeat from* to end 117sts

Brim rnd 13: Now work round 10 one time: *K3, (c6f) twice, k3, p2, 2rc, p2, k3, c6f, p2, 2rc, p2; repeat from* to end.

Hat: Complete rounds 1-10 twice, and again through rnd 5:

Rnds 1-4: *K18, p2, k2, p2, k9, p2, k2, p2; repeat from* to end.

(Helpful hint: for more elasticity work rnd 4: stitches 1-18, sts 40-57, sts 60-77 with size#13 needles)

Rnd 5: *(C6b)three times, p2, 2rc, p2, c6b, k3, p2, 2rc, p2; repeat form * to end

Rnds 6-9: *K18, p2, k2, p2, k9, p2, k2, p2; repeat for *to end.

Rnd 10: *K3, (c6f) twice, k3, p2, 2rc, p2, k3, c6f, p2, 2rc, p2; repeat from *to end

Complete rounds 1-10 twice, and again through rnd 5.

Start Crown decrease: (Use double pointed needles when needed.)

Rnd 1: *K18, p2tog, k2, p2tog, k9, p2tog, k2, p2tog; repeat from * to end 105sts

Rnd 2: *knit 3, k2tog; repeat from* to end of round 84sts

Rnd 3: Knit

Rnd 4: *knit 2, k2tog; repeat from * to end of round 63sts

Rnd 5: Knit

Rnd 6: *knit 1, k2tog; repeat from * to end of round 32sts

Rnd 7: *k2tog, *repeat until 10 stitches remain

Finishing: Cut 12” yarn and thread end through remaining 10 stitches. Pull together, tie off neatly, and weave tails.

This pattern is available at MarilynnsGardenKnitDesign.blogspot.com

For pattern support please contact: marilynnblacketer@gmail.com
pdf Plaited Hat & Leg Warmers is available at Ravelry.com (login needed)

Here are a few photos of the work in progress.

I am always excited when the yarn arrives from Yarnia! I had miscalculated, and the yarn arrived as worsted weight. I pulled some silk, from not too deep storage, that Ami had given me to strand with the Yarnia to bring the weight up to bulky.

I've started. I have the 10 rounds of knit 1, purl 1 ribbing.

This is project for working with big needles! I have them handy. Not showing in the photo, I also use many markers. I mark green at the beginning of the sequence, and purple at the midpoint. Soon I'll be ready to work a cable round.

As I got to round 4, I worked the stitches 1-18, then 40-57, and 60-77 on to size 13 needles. The green markers wanted to fall off so I clipped them in place.

At round 4, the needles worked parallel to each other.

At this round 4, I grabbed the wrong end of the size 13, and worked the first 18stitches into a loop. I fixed the problem by sliding those stitches on to a size 11 double pointed needle. Now I am ready to cable. Remember, it's a project for working with big needles!

I was feeling that the hat was big enough! I got out a favorite resource to check the finished measurements. Pints & Purls, Portable Projects for the Social Knitters, by Karida Collins and Libby Bruce, p91. That Slouchy Hat is also a fun project with bigger needles and no cables! I knitted 5 more rounds.

As I began the decrease sequence, I dropped off the midpoint markers. I kept the green beginning markers to help place the double pointed needles. I needed double pointed needles for the last round or two. I was excited to finish the project and forgot to take photos.