As popular as brioche stitch is now, half brioche stitch doesn’t seem to get the same love. I see it as more than just another brioche variation. It has one skill that standard brioche doesn’t: it is effective as ribbing since it both stretches and retracts. This plus the cozy, waffly texture make it perfect for warm winter hats.

Most entrelac hat patterns shape the crown by using fewer stitches in the squares on each successive tier of squares. The squares get smaller and smaller until you cannot work entrelac anymore, so you pick up around, decrease rapidly, and tie a large pom-pom to the top to cover up where it does not look nice. I wanted to construct some entrelac...

Norah Gaughan’s cables always feel like plant vines to me, meandering where they will. Here, they enfold the thumb gusset shaping and are juxtaposed with the calm of stockinette.

These patterns are based on stitch patterns in Sequence Knitting: Simple Methods for Creating Complex Fabrics by Cecelia Campochiaro (2015). You can knit these five pair of fingerless mittens without the book, but I urge you to purchase the book so that you will have more context, be able to explore more on your own, and to support Ms. Campochi...

I like hats with ear flaps, but I don’t like their typically inelegant construction of having to cast on (or off) different fiddly bits. Here, the ear flaps are created by the valleys of classic

Gloves are mirror image.

Instructions are included for fingerless mittens, fingerless gloves, and full gloves.

Gloves feature a chevron cuff, a large flower motif, and stranded color work in the fingers for extra warmth. Left and right hand gloves are mirror image.

Directions are included for fingerless mittens, fingerless gloves, or full gloves.