Cintar

Cintar by Maria Bourne: Two-Colour Stranded Knitting Hats

What is Being Made

Cintar is a versatile knitting pattern offering three distinct hat options designed by Maria Bourne. The pattern includes a regular beanie, a slouchy cap, and a cowl, all featuring two-colour stranded knitting techniques. Each option can be customized in size and construction method, making this pattern suitable for knitters seeking multiple garment variations from a single design.

Design Options and Yardage Requirements

• Cowl: Requires approximately 410 m / 450 yd in colour 1 (C1) and 85 m / 95 yd in colour 2 (C2)
• Hat (Regular Fit): Requires approximately 150 m / 165 yd in C1 and 80 m / 90 yd in C2
• Hat (Slouchy Fit): Requires approximately 200 m / 220 yd in C1 and 85 m / 95 yd in C2 for the hat itself; if including a pom-pom, total yardage for C1 increases to 250 m / 275 yd

Techniques Used

Two-colour stranded knitting is the primary technique featured in Cintar. This traditional method involves carrying two yarn colours throughout the knitting process, creating intricate colourwork patterns by switching between colours as directed in the pattern. Stranded knitting requires careful tension management to ensure even stitches and prevent the carried yarn (floats) from becoming too tight or loose. The pattern also incorporates three-needle bind-off for finishing, a technique used to join two sets of live stitches together while simultaneously binding them off, creating a neat, flexible seam.

Stitches and Construction

The pattern utilizes circular needle construction, which is ideal for creating seamless, tubular garments. Knitters will work in the round using two circular needles or the magic loop method, depending on their preference and the needle sizes available. The three-needle bind-off technique is employed for finishing, requiring one of the circular needles to be used for this purpose.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

Yarn: Cintar calls for light fingering weight woollen-spun yarn, which provides the necessary gauge and typically offers approximately 280 m / 295 yd per 50 g. The pattern was photographed using JC Rennie Supersoft lambswool 4ply yarn in various colourways: Atlantic Spray and Marble Gemstone for the cowl; Silver and Heather for the regular-fit hat; and Blueprint and Stardust for the slouchy-fit hat. Woollen-spun yarn is prized for its elasticity and warmth, making it an excellent choice for hat construction.

Needles: The pattern requires circular needles in the appropriate size to achieve correct gauge. For the cowl, knitters need two circular needles measuring 60 cm / 24" long or shorter. For the hat options, a 40 cm / 16" circular needle is specified. The suggested needle size is 3.5 mm / US 4, though the exact size may vary depending on individual gauge and yarn choice. Additional needles suitable for working small circumferences are also needed to accommodate the decreases typically worked at the crown of a hat.

Difficulty Level

Cintar is rated as an intermediate knitting project. This classification reflects the complexity of two-colour stranded knitting, which requires knitters to manage multiple yarn colours simultaneously while maintaining consistent tension and stitch definition. Intermediate knitters should have solid foundational skills in circular needle construction and be comfortable with colour work techniques before attempting this pattern.