INTRODUCTION

Winterspell

by Emily Gilbert

Winterspell was originally designed as an answer to my perennial problem of finding a winter hat that keeps my ears warm enough. When I wore my original version, so many people told me I should sell the hood or the pattern that I realized I must be on to something!

The hood features an technique I “unvented” (as the late, great Elizabeth Zimmermann would have it) that allows the knitter to work double knitting in the round with a single strand of yarn, creating a thick, warm double-layered fabric. Short-row shaping creates enough room in the back to accommodate almost any hairstyle, and the drawstring around the face keeps cold air out. Picots at the cast-on and bind-off edges add a touch of frilliness.

Whether you’re a grandmother with a cottage in the woods or a princess riding in a sleigh, this hood will keep you cozy on your winter adventures!

model: Emily Gilbert

photos: Sarah Gilbert, Emily Gilbert

SIZE

One

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Circumference: 24.75 inches/63 cm
Length: 18 inches/45.5 cm

MATERIALS

Yarn
Madelinetosh Tosh Vintage [100% merino wool; 200yd/182m per 100g skein]; color: Spectrum; 3 skeins

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 32-inch US #7/4.5mm circular needle
2 US #5/3.75mm double pointed needles

Notions
3 stitch markers (1 for beg of round, 2 removable)
stitch holder
yarn needle

GAUGE

18.5 sts/26 rows = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch on larger needles, after blocking
15.5 sts/27 rows = 4 inches/10 cm in Circular Double Knitting on larger needles after blocking

PATTERN NOTES

[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

Measurements do not include picot edging.

All sts are slipped purlwise.

When using variegated yarn, there will be a color change at the beginning of the round where you switch from Round 1 to Round 2, but it will be at the back of the neck when the hood is being worn.

Circular Double Knitting
Round 1 [RS]: *K1, sl1 wyif; rep from * to end of round.
Round 2 [WS]: *Sl1 wyib, p1; rep from * to end of round.
Rep these 2 rounds for patt.

Flat Double Knitting
Row 1 [RS]: *K1, sl1 wyif; rep from * to end of row.
Row 2 [WS]: *K1, sl1 wyif; rep from * to end of row.
Rep these 2 rows for patt.

Shadow Wrap
Work to point indicated; insert RH needle from back to front into st in row below next st on LH needle. Place this st on the LH needle and knit it. Transfer this st to LH needle; there are now 2 sts emerging from a single st. Turn work.

Frilled Cast-On
CO row: *CO 4 sts, using knitted cast-on method, pass the first 3 sts over the fourth st, CO 3 sts (4 sts cast on altogether); rep from * for the required number of sts.

Picot Bind-Off
BO row: *CO 2 sts on LH needle, BO 4 sts, slip st on RH needle to LH needle purlwise; rep from * until all sts are bound off.

I-cord
Row 1: [K2, slide sts to other end of dpn without turning].
Rep this row for patt.

DIRECTIONS

Using the Frilled Cast-On, CO 192 sts (48 picots) on circular needle. Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist, and place marker to indicate beg of round.

Work in Circular Double Knitting until piece measures 6.75 inches/17 cm from the cast on edge (not counting the picots), ending with Rnd 2.

Work hood increases:
Round 1: *[K1, sl1 wyif] 8 times, m1; rep from * to end of round. 12 sts increased.
Round 2: *[Sl1 wyib, p1] 8 times, sl1 wyib, m1p; rep from * to end of round. 12 sts increased, 216 sts total.

Hood Shaping
Pm after 108 sts from beg of round marker.
Next round: *K1, sl1 wyif; rep from * to new marker. This is now the beg of the rnd. [K1, sl1 wyif] 8 times. Put the 32 sts just worked (16 sts on either side of the marker) on a holder, leaving marker in place.

Shaping will be worked back and forth in Flat Double Knitting on the rem 184 sts. Pm 20 sts from each end of the row. With RS facing, the LH marker is Marker A and the RH marker is Marker B.

Work Short Row Wedge:
Row 1 [RS]: Work in Flat Double Knitting to 24 sts before Marker A, work shadow wrap (SW) in next st, slip both sts of the SW to RH needle, sl1 wyif, turn.

Row 2 [WS]: SW in next st, sl both sts of SW to RH needle, sl1 wyif, work in Flat Double Knitting to 24 sts before Marker B, SW in next st, slip both sts of SW to RH needle, sl1 wyif, turn.

Row 3: SW in next st, sl both sts of SW to RH needle, sl1 wyif, work to SW, k2tog (work both SW sts tog as 1 st), sl1 wyif, SW in next st, slip both sts of SW to RH needle, sl1 wyif, turn.

Rep Row 3 until all sts between Markers A and B have been worked, ending with a WS row.

Work Long Rows:
Long row 1 [RS]: Work to 2 sts before end of row, SW in next st, slip both sts of SW to RH needle, sl1 wyif, turn.

Long row 2 [WS]: SW in next st, sl both sts of SW to RH needle, sl1 wyif, work to 2 sts before end of row, SW in next st, slip both sts of SW to RH needle, sl1 wyif, turn.

*Work Short Row Wedge, work Long Rows to 2 sts before last doubled st; rep from * until there are 7 wedges total.

After last Short Row Wedge and Long Rows, with RS facing, work to end of row, working doubled sts tog as you come to them. Put held sts back on needle and work to beg of rnd marker.

Next round: Work 3 rounds of Circular Double Knitting, beginning with Round 2.

Work Eyelets:
Next round: K1, sl1 wyif, k1, *yo, k2tog, [sl1 wyif, k1] 2 times; rep from * to last 3 sts, yo, k2tog, sl1 wyif. 36 eyelets.
Work 3 rounds of Circular Double Knitting, beginning with Round 2 of patt.

Bind off with Picot Bind-Off.
Weave in rem ends, hiding tails between layers.

Make Drawstring:
With size 5 dpns, CO 2 sts.
Work in I-cord for approx 44 inches/112 cm, or desired length.
Break yarn, draw through live sts, and weave in ends.

FINISHING

Block hood and drawstring separately. Lay hood flat to dry at first, turning as necessary; when the outside seems dry, put it over something as if being worn (a large jar works well) to make sure the inside dries properly. After blocking, thread drawstring through eyelets so that the ends of the drawstring are under the chin.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Emily Gilbert learned to knit when she was 10 and hasn’t stopped since. When her first published pattern, A Second Chance for Mr. Rushworth Socks, appeared in Jane Austen Knits 2014, she realized that being a knitting designer was possibly even more fun than just plain knitting. She combines designing with her lifelong love of reading by creating patterns inspired by fantasy novels and fairy tales.

She lives in Wisconsin, where warm knitted garments are a necessity for at least half the year. Find her on Ravelry as LadySylvia.

Pattern & images © 2018 Emily Gilbert