When a maker is asked by a family member for a specific handmade item, they put everything down and fulfill that desire, stat! My son requested me to knit him a black beanie. He showed me a picture of a fisherman’s rib beanie that he had found online. He also had some “specific” requests – it couldn’t be slouchy, it needed to be quite short so that it didn’t completely cover his ears, he wanted a wide-ish brim so he could roll it up if he wanted it shorter and he wanted the colour to be black or almost black. Hmm, quite specific 😀 I was up for the challenge! We browsed through Ravelry’s pattern databank before he shortlisted some options.
The winning beanie turned out to be a pattern by Gudrun Johnston for BT called “Ribsy”. I had a skein of Brooklyn Tweed’s Peerie in “Fleet” which is a dark, dark navy. This pattern called for this specific yarn and my son ok-ed the colour. Off to the races I went.
I’ve never knit a hat with such thin yarn and so many stitches before. But I trusted Gudrun’s directions and began. The pattern uses a new cast-on method that I found really effective to make a stretchy brim. This helped because I’m usually a very tight knitter. I’ve never knit fisherman’s rib before. This airy rib pattern produces a thick, warm fabric. Fisherman’s rib sweaters are traditionally worn by fishermen from the British Isles to keep warm as they are out at sea. The body of the hat also uses a couple of twisted rib combinations that add texture and interest to the beanie.
It took me less than two weeks to get this done and actually would have taken me less if I had not ripped out a whole section.
My son loves it and I highly recommend the pattern. Peerie is an all-American merino wool and comes in so many gorgeous colours. The yarn is nice and bouncy and the fabric is warm and cozy.
I love the crown decreases at the top which finish things off quite nicely. 5 stars for this pattern from Gudrun.
Ribsy
Pattern: Ribsy by Gudrun Johnston
Yarn: Brooklyn Tweed Peerie in “Fleet”
Needles: Sizes US 1.5 & 4 / 2.5 & 3.5 mm
