Rainy days. It could be days when it is physically raining, and you sit all cuddled up on your couch listening to the rain, or it could be those days where the world and being an adult in it, is just overwhelming. Whichever it is, it doesn’t change the fact that you need some easy, mindless knitting to accompany you. On rainy days, you want to cuddle a special yarn, you don’t want to think too much, you don’t want to count at all, you want that type of knitting project where your hands move without any mental focus on them, while your mind journeys to far and mysterious places.

This yarn has a story. A long story. A special story.

This yarn was bought by a friend in New Zealand and gifted to me. It came with instructions. “The lady in the shop said you should use bigger needles so that the halo can come out.”

The ball bands got lost, and I can’t remember the exact composition anymore, but I know it contains Possum among other luxury fibre. I never used it; I felt too sorry for it (insert eyeroll here). Eventually I sold it when I went through a massive de-stash operation due to financial issues. I remember the day I packed it to ship it to the buyer. I cried. I felt so sad parting with it. But I needed the money, so off it went to its new home. A couple of months later, I received a parcel from the buyer. She sent the yarn back to me. She felt she had to gift it back to me. I was astonished. Again, I put it away as I was looking for that perfect project, worthy of the yarn.

Fortunately, we get wiser as we get older.

When I opened the drawer to look for yarn for the Rainy Day Scarf, this yarn was the first I saw. I stood there and thought by myself, if not, why not? It was the perfect yarn, for the Rainy Day Scarf, simply because it would make me happy to work with it.

I enjoyed every moment of knitting with this amazing yarn. And being so light and airy, it just kept on giving! I had enough yarn to make a matching hat, and a cowl. The scarf and the hat are on its way to Cape Town as a birthday gift for my lovely daughter-in-law, but before they left, I got Claire to model them for me when we had our Slow Saturday social. Claire is one of those people who can get me out of the worst mood, just with her laugh and her love for life. Obviously, the cowl was for Claire.

Rainy Day Scarf Pattern

This little boomerang scarf is the perfect project for that lonely hank of yarn that you don’t know what to do with. It makes a quick gift for a special person too! You really only need 100g of yarn. I prefer fingering weight, but I have done this in sport weight and lace weight too; just choose your needles according to your yarn. Don’t work too tight, then you won’t have nice drape – use needles suitable for a project that requires drape.

Requirements (suggestions only)

• 100 g fingering weight yarn
• 3.5 mm or 4.0 mm knitting pins

If you want to use another yarn weight, just adjust the size of the knitting pins to suit the yarn you chose.

Abbreviations

• k – knit
• k2tog – knit 2 together (decrease)
• p – purl
• slk – slip the next stitch knit-wise
• st – stitch
• yo – yarn over

Pattern

Cast on 5 sts.

Row 1:
slk1, k2, yo, k1, yo, p1 (7 sts).

Row 2:
slk1, k till 1 st remains, p1.

Row 3:
slk1, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, p1 (9 sts).

Row 4:
as row 2.

Row 5:
slk1, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, k2tog, p1 (1 st increased).

Row 6:
as row 2.

Row 7:
slk1, k2, yo, k1, yo, k until 3 sts remain, k2tog, p1 (1 st increased).

Repeat rows 6 and 7 until you only have enough yarn to cast off. Cast off with a bigger needle.

How to wear

• Place the widest part of the scarf in front.
• Throw the ends over your shoulders, cross them at the back, and bring back to the front.
• You will see the one end hangs a lot lower than the other. Adjust the entire scarf now gently, to have the points hang at more or less the same height.
• Alternatively, secure the short end under the scarf and leave the long one to hang.

Rainy Day Hat Pattern

The matching hat has a double rib over the ears, so it is nice and warm. If you want, you can easily change from garter to stocking stitch, just knit the purl rounds as well.

I estimate that you will need about 100 g of fingering weight yarn; it might be slightly more. I haven’t made the hat with plain Merino Fingering, but I will soon. That said, I am sure it won’t be more than 150 g.

Requirements

• 100 g fingering weight yarn
• 3.5 mm knitting pins

Abbreviations

• k – knit
• k2tog – knit 2 together (decrease)
• p – purl
• st – stitch

Pattern

Rib Section

Do a provisional cast on of 128 sts.

Knit across the row, then join to knit in the round.

Work in double rib (k2, p2) until the work measures 20 cm.

Undo the provisional cast on and place the stitches on a needle and cable. Fold the ribbing double, with the cast-on edge behind.

Join Round:
*k1 from the front needle, k1 from the back needle, k2tog with one stitch from the front needle and one stitch from the back needle, rep from * to end of round (192 sts).

Straight Section

Starting with a purl round, work in garter stitch (1 round purl, 1 round knit) for 8 cm. End with a round of purl.

Crown Section

Round 1:
*k4, k2tog, rep from * to end of rnd (160 sts).

Round 2 and every alternative round:
p to end of rnd.

Round 3:
*k3, k2tog, rep from * to end of rnd (128 sts)

Round 5:
*k2, k2tog, rep from * to end of rnd (96 sts)

Round 7:
*k2, k2tog, rep from * to end of rnd (72 sts)

Round 9:
*k2, k2tog, rep from * to end of rnd (54 sts)

Round 11:
*k1, k2tog, rep from * to end of rnd (36 sts)

Round 13:
*k1, k2tog, rep from * to end of rnd (24 sts)

Do a last round of purl.

Cut a long tail and use a wool needle to thread the tail twice through all the stitches, before removing your needles. Once the needles have been removed, pull the ring snug (not too tight), and weave the end tail away securely. Weave the starting tail away and enjoy your hat!