I absolutely love these ear-warmers, and hope you will too! They’re a satisfying last-minute gift idea for an accomplished knitter, and a fun and easy way to try out fair isle stranded knitting if it’s a new skill. Plus, they’re cute on everyone.

Pattern includes: complete written instructions for ear-warmers in 2 gauges with 4 sizes each, and a stitch pattern chart. Your choice of I-cord or ribbed borders, plus ideas to customize your ear-warmers. Includes brief written tutorials to cheer you along if you’re new to stranded knitting and/or I-cord.

Ear-warmer A:
Yarn: MC & CC are two strands of aran weight yarn held together. Shown above in Peace Fleece (200 yds/183 m, 113 g/ 3.99 oz) on left and in center. All sizes use less than one skein of each. Or, try them with chunky/bulky weight yarns that work up to gauge below.
Gauge: (in pattern) 3sts/in (12 sts/4in, 12 sts/10cm).
Needles: US size 10 ½/6.5mm 16-inch circular, or size needed to obtain gauge. DPNs for I-cord.
Sizes: By circumference: 20 in/51cm, 22 in/56cm, 23 in/58.5cm, 25 in/63.5cm. All 4 in/10cm tall.

Ear-warmer B:
Yarn: MC & CC are single strands of aran weight yarn. Shown above Lamb’s Pride Worsted (190 yds/174 m, 113 g(3.99 oz) on right. All sizes use less than one skein of each.
Gauge: (in pattern) 5sts/in (20 sts/4in, 20 sts/10cm).
Needles: US size 6/4mm 16-inch circular or size needed to obtain gauge. DPNs for I-cord.
Sizes: By circumference: 20 in/51cm, 21.5 in/54.5cm, 22.5 in/57cm, 24 in/61cm. All 4 in/10cm tall.

Skills: knit, knit in the round, 2 color knitting (includes brief tutorial). For ribbed borders: purl, cast on and off, M1 increase. For I-cord borders: I-cord (includes brief tutorial), picking up sts, SSK decrease.
Accessibility Notes: All charted sections also written, 12 point serif font with bolded and (some) underlined headings, no columns (except for abbreviation key).