Falling Blocks Redux

Falling Blocks Redux Knit Hat by Alasdair Post-Quinn

What Is Being Made

Falling Blocks Redux is a knitted hat designed by Alasdair Post-Quinn as a simplified reimagining of his original 2010 Falling Blocks pattern. This intermediate-level knit hat features a two-color colorwork design that creates a striking visual effect through layered pattern techniques. The hat measures 11.5 inches tall when the brim is folded down, or approximately 8.5 inches tall when the brim is folded up, making it a versatile accessory suitable for various wearing preferences.

Techniques Used

The Falling Blocks Redux pattern showcases advanced colorwork techniques that combine two distinct all-over designs on separate layers. The hat employs a classic tumbling blocks pattern on one layer paired with an Armenian cable motif chart on the other layer. This two-color approach represents a deliberate simplification from the original three-color version, reducing overall complexity while maintaining the iconic visual impact that made the original pattern popular. The layered colorwork technique creates depth and dimension, allowing both patterns to be visible simultaneously as the hat is worn.

Stitches Used

While specific stitch abbreviations are not detailed in the provided pattern excerpt, the design relies on colorwork knitting techniques to execute the tumbling blocks and Armenian cable motifs. These all-over pattern designs are worked using charted colorwork, requiring knitters to follow row-by-row instructions for color placement. The construction involves working in the round using circular needles and double-pointed needles, which is standard for hat construction and allows for seamless shaping.

Materials and Yarn

Falling Blocks Redux is designed to be worked in sport weight yarn. The pattern calls for Rauma Tumi, a premium blend of 50% Super Fine Alpaca and 50% Wool, which provides warmth, softness, and excellent stitch definition ideal for displaying colorwork patterns. The yarn is available in 130-meter skeins weighing 50 grams each.

Yarn quantities required:

• Color A (Light Grey Heathered, #SFN38): 2 skeins
• Color B (Plum, #592): 2 skeins

Needles and Gauge

The pattern requires US 4/3.5 mm needles in two formats: a 16-inch circular needle for the main body of the hat and double-pointed needles (DPNs) for working the crown decreases. Knitters should use the needle size required to achieve the specified gauge, as proper gauge is essential for achieving the correct finished dimensions and ensuring the colorwork patterns display as intended.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty, making it suitable for knitters with prior colorwork experience. While the simplified two-color design is more accessible than the original three-color version, the all-over charted patterns and seamless in-the-round construction require solid foundational knitting skills and familiarity with reading colorwork charts.