Baa-ble Hat by Donna Smith
This Tutorial will take you step by step through the construction of the hat, including showing you how to knit with the two-handed Fair Isle technique and how to catch your floats and weave in the ends as you go.
If you are confident with knitting in the round and would like to try two handed fair isle or stranded knitting then this is really the perfect pattern to learn this and I want to encourage you to follow along with me.
Get a copy of Donna Smith’s pattern get your yarn. Have a look at Susan B Andersons modifications if you would like to, there is also a link to her wonderful blog below and I look forward to you joining me.
Video Tutorial
Click on the image to watch the tutorial for the Baa-ble Hat.
Section Links
- Making a gauge; Casting on for magic loop; 2×2 Rib
- Increase row; KFB (Knit Front and Back)
- Reading the chart
- Starting the two-handed Fair-Isle technique and weaving in the ends as you go
- Catching the right-hand float; Row 8, Row 11
- Decrease Row 26
- Threading through remaining stitches; Weaving in ends; Blocking
- How to make a Pom-Pom
Pattern and Yarn
Follow these links to get to the Donna Smith’s Baa-ble Hat pattern and Susan B Anderson’s modifications. I used the Rowan Hemp Tweed yarn.
The Designer – Donna Smith
Donna Smith, the Shetland born and bred designer of the Baa-ble Hat, generously gave us an interview shortly before she took part in the Shetland Wool Week 2016. You can find the interview with Donna Smith here. Donna is a wonderful advocate for Shetland knitting and has other beautiful designs, including the Houlland Hap, available via Donna Smith Designs.
Houlland Hap, designed and worn here by Shetland designer Donna Smith
Thank you so much for this tutorial! You’ve definitely shown me a better way (compared to the method I improvised, which gave sort of similar results but was not as neat) to weave the yarns in and out in fair isle knitting. When introducing a new color, I usually start weaving the new color in at the end of the preceeding round, then weave out the discontinued color at the beginning of the round, to distribute the extra thickness on both sides of the beginning-of-the-round (if that makes sense?) Maybe you have a more even thickness throughout, because you consistently weave in the unused color, rather than letting it float? In any case, I will be trying your way on the next project! Two questions: First, when the hat was finished, it seemed that the black wool was peeking through the white wool of the sheep bodies here and there, where it was trapped by the weaving. Is there a way to avoid this happening, or is it something that smooths out in the finishing? And second, the end of the video, are you by any chance wearing “Boudicia’s Braid”? (Counting up your Alice Starmore sweaters…that would be five…)
Thank you for this tutorial. I have admired this hat but thought it to be too difficult for me to knit. After watching your tutorial I now believe I can do it!
Thank you for the modification link to Susan’s page. I’ve seen this hat making the rounds (all puns intended) and now really want to make a few for the upcoming season and for craft shows in the area. I think I can also modify the pattern to make a really adorable cowl. Yes I’m cowl crazy. 🙂 Thank you A&A.
I love this pattern – thank you so much for this tutorial! I have ordered the colorways of the Rowan Hemp Tweed that you used for your hat but I was wondering if you used the Granite colorway for the sheep. I ordered the granite and teal and the granite really doesn’t stand out against the darker teal. The black on your hat seems so much darker than mine so I was wondering if you used a different black for the sheep.
Thanks so much!! Love your podcasts~
Please can you help me, have got the pattern for baba hat. But have struggled as new to knitting! Watched the video was very helpful , but I do not have the modifications so have different amount of stitches 120 at present
Thank you Kelly Beales
[…] floats, and also how she weaves in the start of a new colour yarn (starting at section 5) – https://fruityknitting.com/2016/07/16/baa-ble-hat-by-donna-smith/. Luckily our Anniversary Mittens don’t have many long floats, and you might not feel that you […]