Happy New Year to our wonderful T.H.R.I.V.E. community! To kick off the new year, here is a free pattern from Yarnspirations – the Red Heart Ribbed Knit Beanie. The pattern is available at:
Simply click the “download free pattern” button on the right and it will open a pdf of the pattern in a new tab.
At first glance, this pattern might look a little challenging, but it is in truth a great pattern for most knitters who are looking for something new, or maybe just for something to challenge them. The 1×1 rib creates a beautiful texture that stretches well and the crown looks so very unique while being relatively easy to accomplish. The pattern calls for the hat to be knit on size U.S. 6 (4 mm) needles which creates a nice tight weave. Despite the photo given in the actual pattern (which could be a little misleading), the hat does stretch quite well to accommodate most, if not all, adult heads. And, as many of our supporters know, our garments are going as far north as Alaska, where a nice tight weave is really the only way to go.
Like many patterns from Yarnspirations/Red Heart, this pattern lends itself quite nicely to yarn substitution. We substituted the recommended Heat Wave yarn with Red Heart Camouflage worsted weight (4) yarn that had been graciously donated by one of our awesome supporters. Camouflage is a big favorite among the community that we serve! After all, part of the fun of making and giving handcrafted garments is knowing that the recipient will love it and be proud to wear their new gift(s). We do aim to please our veterans and their dependents who absolutely love our handcrafted camouflage goods.
Pro tip: if you have a jog at the cast on round when you join, cast on an extra stitch (e.g. the pattern calls for you to cast on 96 stitches, instead cast on 97). When you are ready to join in the round, (first, make sure not to twist your stitches) slip the first stitch on your left needle to the right needle. Now pass the extra stitch that you cast on (the 97th one) over the first stitch. Then, move the first stitch back to the left needle and knit as usual. You should now have the original cast on number of stitches (e.g. 96 stitches). This creates a nice and tidy cast on round, especially when the cuff is turned up.
Although several of the Stand Downs that we support have been postponed or have had to be altered to keep our communities safe in this current pandemic, we are still collecting goods that will be sent to the various V.A.s throughout the year so please, please keep crafting! If you are not a crafter, but would like to help, there are still many ways to support our cause! Please consider donating materials and/or making a monetary donation to help us cover the costs of materials, shipping, and overhead. If you need yarn, or other supplies, please contact us through email at thriveassociation@thrivevets.org or by phone at (469) 427-9654. If you have donations, we are still continuing our policy of curbside pickup. Please contact us to schedule a pickup if you are in the DFW area. If you reside outside the DFW area and would like to make an in-kind donation, please contact us to make arrangements. Remember, even one lovingly handcrafted hat can make a huge difference in the life of an underprivileged veteran or their dependent.