Knitting ALJayKnits’s Look Left Beanie

Though I design knitwear, I also appreciate the work of fellow designers and like to knit without editing in my head. So, this post is about how my knitting ALJayKnits‘s Look Left Beanie.

This was one of those long-term WIPs that was mislaid and nearly forgotten, but lockdown came and I finally finished it… four years after it was cast on. Better late than never, right?

Materials

I used Rico Design Baby Classic DK (navy / 160 yards / 44g) and Colinette Cadenza (marble mint / 29 yards / 11g), which were already in my stash. Because I worked from leftover yarn, the Colinette Cadenza was actually two partial balls and even though they were the same colorway, they were different shades. Either dye lots or maybe one was faded in the sun. Not sure, but I embraced the difference to create a striping effect that is quite lovely.

Process

I cast this on at the start of my pregnancy with Bumblebee and had to set this project aside halfway through. It was then packed into a box in the pre-baby prep and not seen again for three years then I found it and it was still sealed in a ziplock with printed pattern and needles attached, so once I had a chance I finished it… four years after I cast it on. Lockdown WIP completion is so fun and satisfying, right?

I blocked it and it took well to that. Really great to adjust the size slightly to best suit Bumblebee, who loves wearing it.

Pattern

Really pleasant knit that works well for TV or social knitting without being boring. Fun stash buster if using stripes of different yarns. I am totally going to do that to make another.

The chevron texture is just lovely and so fun to use with solid colorways or speckled ones. I didn’t realise my busy yarn would be so busy, but it worked out well I think.

Result

Great pattern and easy to memorize. Fun for solid, semi-solid, or speckled yarns. I chose green yarn (same colorway, two dye lots, very different shades) and a solid blue for Optimus to wear (he loves those colors). Though in the end it is being worn by Bumblebee and he loves rainbows so the flecks in the green are ideal.