Thursday, February 24, 2011

Snowtracks Hat and Scarf

A while ago I knitted this lovely hat in white mainly using the pattern for the Snowtracks Hat designed by Timothy Peters for Coats & Clark with a few slight modifications and listed it in my Etsy shop.  I then had a request to make a matching scarf and mittens in dark grey and black.

This is the pattern I used for the scarf.  The hat says it's for an intermediate knitter, but I think an ambitious beginner could do it without too many problems as long as you can do a knit and purl stitch and have a little patience.  This is a great pattern to practice cables.  Yes, I realize I could have condensed the instructions a bit, but I like to have each row written out so I can check it off as I finish.  That way if I have to put the work down for a bit I can find where I left off pretty easily.

Materials:
You can use any worsted weight yarn.  The original pattern for the hat says to use Stitch Nation by Debbie Stoller "Bamboo Ewe".  I used Vanna's Choice.  3 balls (3.5 oz each) total for one hat, scarf and mitten set. (The scarf alone uses about 1 1/2 balls.)
Size 9 knitting needles
Cable Needle or other spare knitting needle
Large eyed needle or crochet hook to weave in ends

Special Abbreviations:
  • P = Purl
  • K = Knit
  • CN = Cable Needle
  • 2/2 LPC = Slip next 2 stitches to Cable Needle and hold in front of work; P2, K2 from CN
  • 2/2 RPC = Slip next 2 stitches to Cable Needle and hold in back of work; K2, P2 from CN
  • 2/2 LC = Slip next 2 stitches to Cable Needle and hold in front of work; K2, K2 from CN
  • 2/2 RC = Slip next 2 stitches to Cable Needle and hold in back of work; K2, K2 from CN
  • sts = stitches
  • WS = Wrong Side of work
  • RS = Right Side of work
Gauge is not real important for this project.  Mine finished about 58" long.  If you prefer your scarf a little longer then do another pattern repeat before ending with rib pattern.  If you want the scarf a little shorter then do fewer pattern repeats.

Scarf:
Cast on 32 sts using long-tail cast on (or your preferred cast-on method).
Ribbing:
Row 1 (WS): (P2, K2) 3 times, P2, K4, P2, (K2, P2) 3 times
Row 2 (RS): (K2, P2) 3 times, K2, P4, K2, (P2, K2) 3 times
Repeat these two rows for ribbing until piece measures approximately 2" from beginning, ending with a WS row.

Begin Cable Pattern:
Row 1 (RS): (K2, P2) 3 times, 2/2 LPC, 2/2 RPC, (P2, K2) 3 times
Row 2: K the K stitches and P the P stitches as they face you.
Row 3: (K2, P2) twice, K2, P4, 2/2 LC, P4, K2, (P2, K2) twice
Row 4: K the K stitches and P the P stitches as they face you.
Row 5: (K2, P2) twice, (2/2 LPC, 2/2 RPC) twice, (P2, K2) twice
Row 6: K the K stitches and P the P stitches as they face you.
Row 7: K2, P2, K2, P4, 2/2 RC, P4, 2/2 RC, P4, K2, P2, K2
Row 8: K the K stitches and P the P stitches as they face you.
Row 9: (K2, P2) twice, (2/2 RPC, 2/2 LPC) twice, (P2, K2) twice
Row 10: K the K stitches and P the P stitches as they face you.
Row 11: (K2, P2) twice, K2, P4, 2/2 LC, P4, K2, (P2, K2) twice
Row 12: K the K stitches and P the P stitches as they face you.
Row 13: (K2, P2) twice, (2/2 LPC, 2/2 RPC) twice, (P2, K2) twice
Row 14: K the K stitches and P the P stitches as they face you.
Row 15: K2, P2, K2, P4, 2/2 RC, P4, 2/2 RC, P4, K2, P2, K2
Row 16: K the K stitches and P the P stitches as they face you.
Row 17: (K2, P2) twice, (2/2 RPC, 2/2 LPC) twice, (P2, K2) twice
Row 18: K the K stitches and P the P stitches as they face you.
Row 19: (K2, P2) twice, K2, P4, 2/2 LC, P4, K2, (P2, K2) twice
Row 20: K the K stitches and P the P stitches as they face you.
Row 21: K the K stitches and P the P stitches as they face you.
Row 22: K the K stitches and P the P stitches as they face you.
Row 23: (K2, P2) twice, K2, P4, 2/2 LC, P4, K2, (P2, K2) twice
Row 24: K the K stitches and P the P stitches as they face you.
Row 25: (K2, P2) 3 times, 2/2 RPC, 2/2 LPC, (P2, K2) 3 times
Row 26: K the K stitches and P the P stitches as they face you.
Row 27: K the K stitches and P the P stitches as they face you.
Row 28: K the K stitches and P the P stitches as they face you.
Repeat Rows 1-28 of Cable Pattern 8 more times (9 times total).

Do rows 1-2 of Ribbing for 2".  Bind off loosely in rib.  Fasten off yarn, weave in ends.