The Natural

The Splendor Boys are on a roll! It's exciting to have so much in the way of new knitting projects and patterns to show you, and it's really exciting to think about what we have in store. I can gleefully assure you that there are more than hats on the way, and more than a few things that are as exciting to knit as they are to look at!

Pattern: The Natural -- a Splendor Knitting pattern by Homero Luna
Yarn: Jamieson's Shetland Heather in Charcoal
Needles: Addi Turbo Circulars in Size US7

This hat combines basic cabling and great yarn for a look that is classic, wearable, and satisfying to knit. It's pretty much a natural progression from your first hat to something a little more challenging, but not so much so that it's completely overwhelming. The Shetland wool--much heralded for its durability by Knitting Demigod Elizabeth Zimmerman--is definitely sturdy, though it softens considerably into "I could wear this on my head" comfort with a gentle wash. I personally really enjoy heathered yarns for the way they add visual texture and interest while still being 'calm' enough to not overwhelm or obscure a cable or lace pattern. You can pretty much bank on seeing more use of heathered yarn from this knit-whit. But back to the hat...


As mentioned above, this hat was envisioned as a transition between basic stockinette or ribbed patterns and cabling, and it uses one of the simplest cable patterns around. There are actually three 'versions' of the cable used (all explained in the pattern notes), as the decreases are done 'in pattern' and the cabled sections become narrower in the crown shaping.

I enjoy knitting in the round to the extent that I don't knit flat unless there really is no other way to accomplish what I want by knitting in the round--obsessive a bit, I know. The good news, though, is that hats are perfect for round knitting. I'm also an avid proponent of Magick Loop knitting, so naturally the sample shown was knit with that method. Some early versions of this hat were knit on double-pointed needles, though, and the cable pattern repeats over eight sections, so it could easily be divided over some DPN's, if that's your preferred method of round knitting.


This version is, naturally, written to cover my rather-large head (and my super-thick curly hair. I'm not bragging, I promise; it's kind of a pain to deal with, but I digress...), though the ribbing and cabling make it comfortable for a range of head sizes. The un-stretched circumference is approximately 14", and it fits my 24" head, so it will comfortably conform to any size in between. The pattern also includes an option and instructions to make the hat a bit shorter--which is a consideration for smaller head circumferences. In short, this hat will most definitely fit you--and look great!!!

You can download the pattern PDF for The Natural free from the Splendor Knitting Ravelry Store, or by clicking the download button below. As always, you don't need to be a Ravelry member to download here, from our blog.


Happy knitting, everyone, and stay tuned for more good stuff coming soon!

UPDATE 11.12.2009: We've posted a revised version of the pattern. The updated pattern includes some clarification on the cable repeats and we fixed a bit of errata in the crown shaping section. When you download now, your document name should be "Splendor Knitting THE NATURAL V2.1"; this is the updated copy.

UPDATE 12.29.2009: Les explications sont aussi disponibles en français. Merci beaucoup a Marina Orry pour faire et oufrir cette traduction sur son blog!

EDIT: Visit TricotChico.blogspot.com for more knitting patterns by Homero Luna.