Stranded Frog Pond Beanie by Joan Rowe

Stranded Frog Pond Beanie

Knitting
March 2022
Fingering (14 wpi) ?
26 stitches and 34 rows = 4 inches
in blocked stranded colorwork
US 2 - 2.75 mm
120 - 200 yards (110 - 183 m)
head sizes 18” (46 cm), 21” (53 cm), and 23” (58 cm)
English
This pattern is available for $6.50 USD buy it now

Knitted in the round this is an easy pattern if you already know how to knit stranded colorwork and this pattern assumes that you do know how to knit stranded colorwork. If you have not knitted stranded colorwork before then this is an experienced level pattern.

Instructions are given for head sizes 18” (46 cm), 21” (53 cm), and 23” (58 cm). These correspond to child, small adult and medium-large adult sizes.

Yarn:
Fingering weight yarn. The samples were knitted with Knit Picks Preciosa / Knit Picks Hawthorne
BC: (background color), FC: (frog color)
Size 18” (46 cm), BC 65 yds (59 m), FC 48 yds (44 m)
Size 21” (53 cm), BC 87 yds (80 m), FC 52 yds (48 m)
Size 23” (58 cm), BC 100 yds (91 m), FC 61 yds (56 m)

There is increasing alarm among scientists that many frog and other amphibian populations are in serious trouble. Over 30% of the world’s frog species are at-risk of extinction. Sadly, for many frogs, it is already too late. Because of their complex life cycle and moist, permeable skin, frogs are exposed to both water and land
pollution during their lives.
One the biggest reasons that frogs are disappearing is that their habitats are being destroyed. Many areas have now been demolished for developmental construction and agriculture. Wetlands are drained, forests are logged and cut down, and waterfronts are developed. Deforestation is particularly harmful to frogs. The areas exposed to sunlight can heat up and rapidly dry up temporary flooded areas (vernal pools) which are crucial breeding sites for many frog species.
Climate change is among the most serious threats that frog populations face. Detrimental changes in climate such as increased temperatures, changing humidity levels, desertification, and droughts wreak havoc on frogs.
Millions of frogs are captured from their natural habitats every year. The wild-caught pet trade severely depletes already at-risk wild populations. Over 20 million wild-caught amphibians are sold every year in the U.S. alone. Frogs are also captured in huge numbers to be used for food and for use in the extremely cruel fishing bait trade.
Eggs, tadpoles and adult frogs are a crucial component of many ecological communities. A vital link in the food chain, they serve as food for aquatic insects, fish, mammals and birds. But adult frogs do their share of eating too, feeding on mosquitoes, flies and aquatic invertebrates. Some frogs even eat small fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and rodents. One recent study found that a healthy frog population was removing over 50,000 insects per acre per year from one area under study.