Product Description
This hat was originally published in the online magazine Twist Collective, then revised and republished in the original version of Extreme Double-knitting. Due to a contract dispute (and a number of other reasons), I opted to completely redesign the hat for the 2018 revision of Extreme Double-knitting.
Shortly after that book was printed, Twist Collective dissolved and returned the rights to the original pattern. Since the original book is out of print and the new book's version of the pattern is quite different, it was clearly time for me to update and re-release the original pattern for those who still want to knit it.
Four Winds Hat by Alasdair Post-Quinn
What is Being Made
Four Winds is a knitted hat featuring a sophisticated compass-themed letter band. This intermediate-level design showcases double-knitting technique, with the compass directions (N, S, E, W) cleverly integrated into the colorwork. The pattern is notable for its innovative construction where the N and S letters remain readable from both layers of the knitted fabric, while the E and W letters intentionally switch positions to ensure the compass orientation reads correctly regardless of which side of the hat is viewed.
Knitting Techniques Used
This pattern is built around two-pattern double-knitting, an advanced colorwork method that creates a reversible fabric with pattern on both sides. Double-knitting allows for the creation of intricate designs that are fully patterned on the interior and exterior of the finished hat. The letter band demonstrates sophisticated double-knitting application, where the designer has engineered the pattern so that directional letters function correctly from either perspective of the finished garment.
Stitches and Construction
The hat utilizes fundamental knitting stitches within the double-knitting framework. The pattern incorporates a letter band as a central design feature, with the surrounding sections worked in complementary stitch patterns. The construction method allows crafters to build a complete, reversible hat where both the interior and exterior surfaces display the full compass design.
Materials
- Yarn Weight: Worsted weight yarn (the pattern was revised from an earlier sport weight version for the 2018 edition)
- Needles: Appropriate needles for worsted weight knitting in the double-knitting technique
Pattern Background
Four Winds was originally published in the Winter 2009 issue of Twist Collective online magazine. Designer Alasdair Post-Quinn has refined the pattern multiple times, including a version in his 2011 book Extreme Double-knitting, with subsequent updates for the 2018 revised edition. The pattern is now available as a standalone downloadable PDF, offering crafters access to this refined version of one of Post-Quinn's early explorations in two-pattern double-knitting technique.
```Specifications
| Brand: | Independent Designer |
| Yarn Weight: | Worsted |
| Pages: | 7 |
| Designer: | Alasdair Post-Quinn |
| Craft: | Knitting |
| Format: | Downloadable PDF |
| Languages: | English |
| Number of Patterns: | 1 |
| Skill Level: | Intermediate |
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