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Amaranth x 2

Amaranth: Organik Claystone
Last month, I got the chance to help a client out and test knit a new hat pattern by Kate Gagnon Osborn, the Amaranth Hat! Perfect timing, considering I've just started to embark on Operation: Mad Hatter.  It also gave me a chance to give Organik from The Fibre Company a try - it's a blend of organik merino, alpaca and silk.  This is one of those yarns that has to be knit up to be fully appreciated - not that it isn't lovely in the skein, but once you have a bit of knitted fabric to touch, you realize just how soft and snuggly your finished project will be!  It reminds me of one of my favorite yarns that has been discontinued - Prairie Silk from Brown Sheep.  Many years ago, I made a sweater with Prairie Silk and it is still, to this day, one of my favorites.  Not only is it soft and warm, it has barely pilled in five-plus years - a feat I attribute to the addition of silk to the composition of the yarn.  I'm willing to place my bets that Organik has similar properties, a prospect that thrills me to no end!

Amaranth: Malabrigo Vaa
Naturally, when one is test knitting a pattern, there are often a few small details that need to be ironed out. This is actually a very easy lace chart to follow and a fast-knitting hat (and I have now deemed it error-free!).  In fact, when we were trying to clarify a few last-minute details, I ended up casting on for a second hat and finishing it in a matter of days!

The first version was made using Organik in Claystone; the second version was knit with yarn from my stash (Malabrigo Worsted in a really awesome dye lot of Vaa, if you're curious!).  Amaranth #1 gets to live in my soon-to-be-overflowing hat bin; Amaranth #2 will be gifted to someone special later this year!

The Amaranth pattern is available exclusively at Doodlebug Yarn for the month of June - and hey, if you use my coupon code (HBSBlog), you can get $5 off your purchase of both the pattern & yarn...which is basically like getting the pattern for free!

Amaranth: Organik Claystone

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