fartlek hat

Posted on Posted in patterns

well gang, today is the 1st of december and you know what that means—the holiday knit parade must commence. the is the time each year when knitspot opens out all the stops to publish the best quick knits we can muster, in order to feed our last-minute gift knitting frenzy brilliance.

(helena’s not laughing at us; she’s laughing with us. there’s been a flurry of gift making in her dollhouse lately, too.)

it’s an exciting time here, as we all toss our stash closets, trying to figure out what we can knit in X number of days to tuck into stockings, mail to secret santas, wrap in special paper for a lover, or place in an elderly lap to bring on that million dollar smile.

we trade ideas about yarn and patterns and knit excitedly together through the month, editing the list as we go, trimming here and adding there. i think up new designs and my team of elves helps me publish them as fast as we can, to keep everyone’s creativity going. sometimes, readers make suggestions and once in a while, these go on to become a published pattern (remember the last minute handsies last year?? that was debby’s idea).

it’s become my favorite time of year on the blog, making the holiday season one that i actually look forward to now. we make sure to have a LOT of fun in december around here.

so without further ado, i bring you the first piece in the 2011 holiday parade—fartlek.

just about everyone can use a soft, lightweight, slouchy stocking cap—even those of us who suffer from hat hair and rarely wear them, will find ourselves in need of one when those january winds begin to blow.

for those of you who live in warm climates, this one is perfect for that teen skater on your list, the one whose desires are a complete mystery. you can’t go wrong with one of these in black or gray.

here’s the knitty gritty on this hat: it’s worked entirely in knit and purl; the pattern includes two versions, one stockinette and one reverse—both knit up super-quick. use a very soft yarn to get that pouty slouch (and to make it satisfying for you).

aside from the textured the brim, the only construction detail is the swirl of decreases at the top—subtle in the stockinette version and more pronounced in the revers version.

based on the response i’m getting from people who handle it, i’d be careful about showing it around too much, unless you’re up for knitting a bunch of them. but you know, you might be—it’s easy and quick and the results are not too shabby.

shown above, the stockinette version in spirit trail holda, a soft, slightly fuzzy lambswool/cashmere/angora blend in the wintery blue-green seaweed colorway.

jen is now restocked with holda (and many other yarns!) for this release—go for it.
ETA: wow, you guys really love that holda yarn! jen is now sold out, BUT she is taking special orders on it; she can dye any color you like. please click through to the holda yarn page and follow the email link, thanks!!

below we see the reverse stockinette hat, also in holda—this time it’s colorway winter solstice.

to purchase pattern or view complete pattern information, please click here to visit the product page in the knitspot pattern shop.

i’m so lucky to have met jen and to be the recipient of so many samples of her gorgeous yarns. we are becoming solid friends as well, for which i am especially grateful—she is a treasure. you can see the delicious holda yarn and many other of my favorites, such as nona, sunna, neith, and penelope in the spirit trail fiberworks online shop.

and many thanks yet again to the lovely helena, for taking some time from her own holiday preparations to model the hat for me. isn’t she the best?

26 thoughts on “fartlek hat

  1. Yes! I was able to snag a skein in Winter Solstice! This hat will be MINE! 😉 Who doesn’t need a little cashmere and angora to wear on their head?

  2. I had to get the seaweed color for myself 🙂 if my budget was unlimited, I’d get some holda for the hubby too; I think he’d wear this pattern. Oh well, he’ll do with something a little less soft!

  3. Love the pattern! It should be perfect for my 91-year-old mom, who adores her collection of warm hats — she wears them all the time in the winter, even in her roastingly-hot home, bless her heart!

  4. Given that my husband swears by Fartlek training (and has convinced my son as well) this is simply a “no-brainer” for me. Who could resist?

  5. I so love this hat!! I have the perfect recipients in mind (notice the use of the plural)!! Must check out the angora blend from Jen, as I have a hankering for that lately. Thank you!! xo

  6. I just got the pattern. I do have a question on the needle sizes. It says sz US 4 circs for brim or one sz larger than body needle. For body needle it sys sz US 5. Am I not reading this correctly, cuz I don’t understand…

  7. Brilliant hat! And Helena looks gorgeous! She is such a wonderful, natural model! I am off to take a look at the yarn. I should knit from stash I suppose ……… but it is nearly Christmas!! Could be an early gift to myself!!

  8. Oh, I’m so glad you got this out today, Anne! I love it! And of course Helena is just gorgeous, as usual. So glad you have her as the Queen of Models!

  9. love, love, love this pattern! i can’t wait to see what jen has dyed up in this yarn. Helena is such a cutie! She is so photogenic!

  10. Thanks Anne! I just printed the pattern and am now off to order Holda. Am planning at least two before Christmas.

  11. Just in time for my travels! Now to see if I can find some suitable yarn, and then, um, pack the clothes, too. Thanks, Anne! Another winner.

  12. Gorgeous hat – I love the blue one especially, just the right amount of details 🙂 I might have missed it, where does the name come from?

  13. Brilliant ! Perfect for the runner in my life who has deep love of hats and especially for running. So when he’ll know the name of this is Fartlek, he’ll be all happy. And thinking of it, since I run too I should as well indulge and make myself one! As a bonus, it will make an excellent commuting project! I’m going to download that right now!

  14. Yay! I’ve been waiting for this pattern since you posted your first pic a couple weeks ago! So excited to knit this!

  15. Love the slouchy style!! It looks so much better on those of us with longer hair than a skull fitting style. Now if only my reverse stockinette ever looked this good! It’s amazing how right side regular stockinette is so much more forgiving of little inconsistencies.

  16. I love your new hat! From it’s name, it sounds like you’re keeping up with your running 🙂 Good on you! Maybe we can go for a run at sock camp this year — I hope you’ll be there again!

  17. Since I am a former runner, I even know what fartleks are! 😉

    Lovely pattern! I’ve cast on.

  18. Was there ever a clarification to this:
    “I just got the pattern. I do have a question on the needle sizes. It says sz US 4 circs for brim or one sz larger than body needle. For body needle it sys sz US 5. Am I not reading this correctly, cuz I don’t understand…”
    I followed the numbers for the needles, not the text…hope I did that right…
    Sorry if I missed the clarify!
    Thanks!
    M

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