This week I’m launching my latest independent design: Offbeat. It’s a set of two different choices of hat style with mitts to match. The stranded colourwork features a bold, geometric motif that seems to be becoming a feature of many of my design ideas at the moment.
I’ve no doubt that the current rejuvenated status of mid-century interior design trends has helped to nudge me in the direction of exploring geometry, bold colour contrasts and repetition in my designs recently – for example in Square Peg and Sonia. While I wasn’t around to see these ideas when they were new, their influence was such that as a child, twenty or thirty years later, they were still to be found in the fabric of the world around me. Biscuit tins, tiles, vinyl wallpapers in kitchens, Hornsea pottery mugs- even while minimalism was sweeping in towards the end of the century, real people’s houses still had flashes of those bold patterns in them. Just like the music and food from childhood stay with you, I think so too do the visual references.
Offbeat uses two contrasting shades in stranded colourwork to create the pattern. The stranding already creates a sturdy, windproof fabric, but I wanted to make sure the colours were intense and crisp so I also used a needle size on the smaller end of that recommended for the yarn, which also gives extra density. The project photo here was taken in February in Central Park. There was mist over the frozen lake and it was just about to start sleeting. Parts of me were very cold indeed but I can vouch for the fact for my head being cosy warm. This was probably the point at which I decided adding mitts to the set would be a good idea…
In addition to the mitts I also added a bobble hat with a folded brim to the possible options in the pattern and it’s here that I could begin to rave about how much I love Buachaille, the yarn used in the design process. More on other attributes in a moment, but can I just say how marvellous it is for making bobbles? It is truly possible to waste happy hours roughing the bobble into a satisfyingly solid, fleece-y fluff ball, then trimming it to the perfect shape for finishing your hat.
Buachaille was also perfect for this project as it blocks beautifully in colourwork. I have raved on about the magic of blocking in other places, but it really is worth the time to give your work a great finish. In the case of Offbeat, wet blocking melded the colours together so that the eye can run over the rhythm of the pattern without jarring on uneven stitches or colour changes.
And those colours! I will happily admit that I acquired a skein of Furze and Squall before I had any idea what I would do with them. Offbeat was basically the vehicle I devised for that combination. When it came to the bobble hat and mitts I wanted to show that, despite its geometry, Offbeat could have a softer, prettier side, hence the use of Hedder and Haar. Softness also comes in the generous folded cuff of the bobble hat option, as knitting in one by one rib reveals a springy softness in Buachaille in contrast to the sturdiness and integrity it also has.
I’m hoping to reveal exciting news of a giveaway involving Offbeat and Buachaille soon, but in the meantime, there is a 25% launch discount on Offbeat in my Ravelry shop this week- until midnight on Friday 21st October. Simply enter the code BEAT at the checkout.
