This hat was knit from hand dyed Grafton (Yak/Wool blend), in my very own pattern. If there is any demand for a basic hat pattern, I’ll write it up for our customers. The yarn was kettle dyed using Ashford acid dyes (brown and green), and plenty of vinegar. The yak fiber does not take up the dye quite as quickly as the wool does, and seems to require more vinegar in the dyeing process to exhaust the dye. The colours are somewhat more muted than would be achieved with pure wool, and after a rinse with some fabric softener, my husband pronounces it to be “without itch”.
Here is a shot showing the fit of the hat.
Killara
The samples of the Killara (silk/wool blend) were dyed in the same batch as the Grafton yarn above. You will notice the gorgeous saturated colours, and the very silky hand. Bigger swatches will be posted in the forthcoming days. The Killara took the dye beautifully – I think that this colourway looks like a chocolate mint. I tried to balance the colours in this yarn to make the pale green more dominant than in the hat (which was intended to resemble camouflage).
Tags: Knitted hat, free pattern, yak yarn, wool/silk yarn, swatches
