Orry Yarn – Eglinton Houndstooth Beanie Knitting Kit
Designed by Tilde Olsen – Orry Yarn
The Eglinton Houndstooth Beanie is worked in the round from the bottom up in two colours, from an eight stitch charted repeat. It is the pattern we point people at when they want to try stranded colourwork and would rather not begin with a yoke.
The crown is where the interest is. The houndstooth has to close down to nothing, so the decreases are worked while the two colour pattern is still running. You move onto double-pointed needles for the last few rounds.
The kit is knitted in Orry Yarn Merino DK, our own soft, springy, ethically sourced merino. Stranded knitting wants a yarn with clear stitch definition and a little grip, so the two colours sit evenly against each other rather than one sinking into the other.
Skill Level:
Intermediate ★★★ (3 out of 5)
You should be comfortable casting on, knitting and purling, working in the round and reading a straightforward pattern. Carrying two colours is taught here from scratch. The pattern is worked from a chart, and as with any colourwork, keeping track of which row you are on is what matters. A row counter, or a pen and paper, is worth having beside you.
Size:
One size, designed to fit an average adult head.
The Kit Includes:
- 3 × 50g balls of Orry Yarn Merino DK in your chosen colourway: 2 balls in the main colour and 1 ball in the contrast
- Printed pattern in English
The two shades shown beneath each photo are the yarn you will receive in that colourway. The first is the main colour, the second the contrast.
You'll Also Need:
- 3.25mm circular needles, 40cm long, for the brim
- 4mm circular needles, 40cm long, for the body
- One set of 4mm double-pointed needles for the crown
- Stitch marker
- Row counter, or a pen and paper
- Wool needle
A note on the needles:
A 40cm cable is the right length here and a longer one will not work: the stitch count is too low to stretch around 60cm or 80cm without straining every stitch. If you would rather not swap to double-pointed needles at the crown, you can work the last rounds using Magic Loop on a longer 4mm circular instead, though the first few rounds after the switch are fiddly either way.
If you knit with interchangeables, note that 40cm circulars need the short special tips. Standard tips only make up 60cm and above.
Techniques used:
- Casting on and joining in the round
- Reading a colourwork chart and keeping track of your rows
- Stranded colourwork in two colours
- Catching floats so they sit flat and do not pull
- Colour dominance, and how it changes the way the pattern reads
- Crown shaping worked while the colour pattern continues
- Working on double-pointed needles
- Closing the crown and weaving in ends
Why You'll Love It:
- A first stranded colourwork project at a size you will actually finish
- Both shades included, paired so the houndstooth reads clearly
- Yarn School video support for floats and colour dominance
- A tips and modifications section at the back of the pattern, drawn from years of teaching
- Pairs with the Eglinton Houndstooth Cowl, which has no shaping to think about