Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Ombré


The word ombré means "having colors or tones that shade into each other —used especially of fabrics in which the color is graduated from light to dark" It is derived from the French verb ombrer (to shade). I think that this aptly describes the following hat, where a simple colorwork pattern causes one color to shade into the next.


Materials

  • Up to 9 colors of worsted weight wool (between 1-11 g of each color; 67 g total). I used KnitPicks Wool of the Andes scraps in Evergreen (A - 11 g), Avocado (B - 7 g), Grass (C - 8 g), Spruce (D - 9 g), Wonderland Heather (E - 8g), Cloud (F - 8 g), Lake Ice Heather (G - 6 g), Blue Ink (H - 3 g), and Cobblestone Heather (I - 1 g). For the 2 color version you will need 34 g of one color, 33 g of the second color.
  • Size 6 (4.0 mm) circular or double pointed needles.
  • Gauge: 11 sts/2 inches and 11 rows/2 inches over colorwork pattern;
  • Notions: yarn needle to weave in loose ends.
  • Finished size: 18.25" circumference, 8.5" long.   

The Ombré Hat Knitting Pattern

  • Cast on 100 stitches on size 6 needles with color A.
  • Join to knit in the round and knit 6 rows of 2x2 ribbing (K2, P2 across the whole row)
  • Begin knitting the chart, starting at the bottom and following it from right to left. Note: The main body of the hat is a repeat of 4 stitches, but the charts for the crown decreases are in increments of 20. I have provided charts for both the 4 stitch repeat for the main body of the hat and for the 20 stitch repeat including the crown decreases.
    Color Key:
    4 stitch knitting chart key for the main body of the Ombré Hat knitting pattern. (See Below for a chart for the hat including the decreases for the crown.)


    Knitting Chart for the entire Ombré Hat pattern, including the decreases.


  • The crown decreases are illustrated in the chart above, but I have included general written instructions for the crown shaping as well. Note: these written instructions do not indicate where the color changes occur. The color changes for crown decreases start with a 20 st repeat. So while there are 10 decreases per decrease round, there are 5 repeats of the colorwork pattern. Please refer to the above chart for the color changes during the crown decreases.
    • *K8, K2tog* across (90 sts)
    • K 1 round
    • *K7, K2tog* across (80 sts)
    • K 1 round
    • *K6, K2tog* across (70 sts)
    • K 1 round
    • *K5, K2tog* across (60 sts)
    • K 1 round
    • *K4, K2tog* across (50 sts)
    • K 1 round
    • *K3, K2tog* across (40 sts)
    • K 1 round
    • *K2 k2tog* across (30 sts)
    • K1 round
    • *K1, k2tog* across (20 sts)
    • K2tog across (10 sts)
    • K2tog across (5 sts)
  • Cut yarn and pull through remaining stitches. Weave in all loose ends.

The inside of the hat looks pretty cool, too!


Two Color Version of the Ombré HatThe hat in the pattern instructions was knit with 9 different colors. I also made a chart for a two color version so you can get a simpler idea of how the pattern works:



I designed this hat for a close friend of the family (I cannot name her in case she ever checks my blog!) I hope that she likes it!

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Abbreviations Used in this pattern:
Kfb - increase by knitting into the front and back of a single stitch.
M1 (Make 1)- increase stitch by picking up yarn between two stitches, twisting and knitting.
K - knit
P - purl
I-cord - knit stitches on dpn's without ever turning the needle (effectively knitting in the round with a small number of stitches.)
SSK - decrease by slipping two stitches then knitting them together. Alternatively, you could slip one stitch, knit one stitch and pass slipped stitch over.
K2tog - decrease by knitting two stitches together.

These knitting pattern was created by ChemKnits for your personal or charity use. You are not to sell, distribute or reprint this pattern without the permission of ChemKnits. © 2011 ChemKnits