Red Tomato Green Tomato

Red Tomato Green Tomato Colorwork Cowl and Slouchy Hat by Michael Harrigan

Project Overview

This downloadable PDF pattern package from independent designer Michael Harrigan, a Certified Master Knitter and Knitting Technical Editor, features two coordinating knit accessories: a rolled-edge cowl and a slouchy hat. Both pieces showcase colorwork techniques using an alternating colored bands slip stitch design, with the hat incorporating an additional traditional Fair Isle stitch pattern band for added visual interest and texture.

What Is Being Made

• Rolled-Edge Cowl: A versatile neck accessory worked in the round using slip stitch colorwork with alternating color bands
• Slouchy Hat: A relaxed-fit hat featuring slip stitch colorwork bands combined with a Fair Isle stitch pattern band, designed to sit comfortably on the head with gentle drape

Knitting Techniques and Stitches

These patterns employ intermediate-level colorwork techniques suitable for knitters with foundational skills looking to expand their technical repertoire.

• Slip Stitch Colorwork: The primary technique used throughout both garments, featuring alternating colored bands that create visual depth without the complexity of stranding multiple colors in a single row
• Fair Isle Stitch Pattern: A traditional colorwork method incorporated into the hat pattern, adding a band of patterned texture and demonstrating classic Fair Isle construction
• Circular Knitting: Both the cowl and hat are worked in the round, eliminating the need for seaming and creating seamless, professional-finished pieces

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for Jen-Ewe-Ine 4-ply fingering weight yarn in 100% Border Leicester cross hand-dyed wool. The specific colorway uses four colors: Red Admiral (2 skeins), Alder (2 skeins), Olive Green (1 skein), and Fern (1 skein), with a total yardage of 107 meters per 32-gram skein. Alternatively, any yarn of your choice that achieves the specified gauge may be substituted.

Required needles include US size 3 (3.25mm) 16-inch circular knitting needles for the main fabric and US size 3 (3.25mm) double-pointed needles for working the crown decreases on the hat. A stitch marker is also needed to track the beginning of rounds.

Difficulty Level

These patterns are rated as intermediate difficulty, making them ideal for knitters who have mastered basic stitches and circular knitting and are ready to explore colorwork techniques. The slip stitch method used here is more forgiving than traditional stranded colorwork, as it eliminates the need to manage multiple yarn colors simultaneously within a row.