Pattern available from http://www.heavenlywools.co.nz/norwegian-stocking-cap.html. Password: HatPattern
I got a ball of this yarn from www.skeinz.co.nz in my goodie bag at the retreat, then when the yarn was discounted on the last day, I decided to get two more and knit a double-ended stocking cap for my husband to replace his worn-out hunting cap. We live in a subalpine area and he often hunts in the Alps so I wanted it to be nice and warm.

The cap is knitted from one end first, with the crown formed with six increases.

When I get to the midpoint I’m going to swap to the olive colourway of this yarn and knit a couple of rows, then a 24-row stranded stjerne (star) pattern taken from a traditional mitten design from Selbu, Norway, which I have in “Norwegian Knitting Designs”, a 1952 publication by Annichen Sibbern Bohn. I picked this book up in a second-hand bookshop in Tauranga years ago. This will form the cap turn-up which will give four thicknesses around the forehead.

I’m not sure if I have enough yarn for the whole cap, but I’m hoping 3 balls will be enough. I’ll be finishing with the inside portion, so I can use a similar yarn and nobody will ever know, except you and me!

Note: at 60% done, not so sure that the yarns have enough contrast…oh well!

After the 24-row pattern, there’ll be another 48 rows, then the decreases down to 12 stitches. All very simple!

Oh well…no, the yarns did NOT have enough contrast for the star pattern, and it’s so long since I did stranded knitting, it’s a bit rough…but…it’s super warm and I made it reversible! So if he doesn’t like the pattern, he can wear it on the plain side. I used nearly all the yarn (had about 3m left at the end, and had to put in stripes to have enough - but it actually looks quite smart!

Overall, pretty pleased with it, it has a nice solid feel and will cope really well with the sub-zero temperatures it will have to del with.