Ellinor Hat & Wristlets in Juniper Moon Farm Herriot - Downloadable PDF

Ellinor Hat & Wristlets by Claudia Wersing

Project Overview

The Ellinor Hat & Wristlets is a coordinating two-piece set from The Nordic Collection, designed by Claudia Wersing. This intermediate-level knitting project combines a fitted hat and matching wristlets, both featuring traditional Nordic patterning. The set is worked in DK-weight yarn and uses both circular and double-pointed needles to create seamless, polished finished pieces.

Hat Construction

The hat is designed to fit a head circumference of 22 inches (56 centimeters) with a finished length of 10¾ inches (27 centimeters). Construction begins with a ribbed cuff worked on US 4/3.5mm circular needles, establishing the foundation with 144 stitches cast on in the round. The ribbed section measures ¾ inch (2 centimeters) and provides elasticity and structure at the hat's base.

After the ribbed cuff, the needles are changed to US 7/4.5mm circular needles to accommodate the main body pattern. The hat features a charted Nordic design worked over 12 rows, with a 24-stitch pattern repeat worked 6 times across each round. This 12-row chart is repeated five times in total, creating the primary patterned section of the hat.

The crown shaping is accomplished through two rounds of K2tog tbl (knit 2 together through the back loop) decreases worked across the entire round, reducing the stitch count to 36 stitches. The remaining stitches are then cut and drawn through with the working yarn, pulled tightly, and secured to close the crown.

Wristlets Construction

The matching wristlets are worked in the round using US 7/4.5mm double-pointed needles, with a finished length of 11¾ inches (30 centimeters). Each wristlet begins with 56 stitches cast on and distributed evenly across three of four double-pointed needles, with the fourth needle used as the working needle. This traditional method ensures seamless construction and maintains consistent tension throughout the circular knitting process.

Techniques & Stitches

• Circular Knitting: Both the hat and wristlets are worked in the round using circular needles and double-pointed needles, eliminating the need for seaming and creating seamless, professional-looking garments.
• Ribbing: The hat begins with a ribbed cuff that provides stretch and structure, worked before transitioning to the main pattern.
• Charted Colorwork or Texture: The primary design element is a 12-row chart with a 24-stitch repeat, creating a Nordic-inspired pattern typical of traditional knitting design.
• Decreases: Crown shaping uses K2tog tbl (knit 2 together through the back loop), a standard decrease technique that creates neat, directional decreases.
• Stitch Distribution: The wristlets demonstrate proper stitch distribution across double-pointed needles, a fundamental technique for seamless circular knitting.

Yarn & Materials

The Ellinor Hat & Wristlets set is worked in Juniper Moon Farm Herriot, a DK-weight yarn. The project requires 2 hanks of 100 grams each in colorway 1032 Golden Llama, providing sufficient yardage for both the hat and wristlets.

The needle requirements include US 4/3.5mm circular needles (20 inches/50 centimeters long) for the ribbed cuff, US 7/4.5mm circular needles (20 inches/50 centimeters long) for the hat body, and a set of US 7/4.5mm double-pointed needles for the wristlets. The circular needle length of 20 inches is appropriate for working in the round on a smaller circumference, and the size progression from US 4 to US 7 needles creates the necessary gauge change between the ribbed and patterned sections.

Difficulty Level

Rated as intermediate, this project assumes familiarity with fundamental knitting techniques including casting on, working in the round with both circular and double-pointed needles, reading charts, and executing decreases. The combination of ribbing, charted pattern work, and crown shaping makes this an ideal project for knitters looking to expand their skills beyond beginner-level construction.