Three Forths by Clare Hutchinson

Three Forths

Knitting
April 2017
Light Fingering ?
30 stitches = 4 inches
in Stranded colourwork
US 2 - 2.75 mm
US 2½ - 3.0 mm
200 - 300 yards (183 - 274 m)
Adult (approx 22")
English
This pattern is available for free.

This hat was inspired by the three distinct rhythms created by the three bridges that cross the Forth between Edinburgh and Fife. The rail bridge, the old road bridge and the new crossing soon to be opened.

This hat uses JC Rennie 4ply (fingering) miniballs in 6 different colours, one miniball of each colour. It uses nearly all of the two background colours (sea and sky) but there is plenty left of the stone (rib) colour and the three bridge colours. The whole hat weighs less than 40g. A 50g ball of a single background colour and three bridge colours would also work.

It is a bit more tricky than a standard fair isle design because of the long floats between the bridge piers in some parts. I have suggested using intarsia (in the round) for certain sections to avoid having to strand three colours together, this is explained in the pattern.