Level of difficulty: easy

What is special about Chara, a set of loop scarf and hat designed by Jayalakshmi MH, is its Two-Colour Linen Stitch. It creates knitted pieces that are reminiscent of woven fabric and are wonderfully windproof. A strong light-dark contrast looks magnificent, but even with more similar colours, the linen look gives your knitting more texture and vitality. We have chosen our thick, soft yarn Big Merino Hug in Deep Ocean and Isar Pebble for Chara, which will keep you cosy and warm. For the loop scarf, you can choose between a narrower version (shown here) - for example as an exciting accessory to a simple shirt blouse, or a wider one for an extra portion of warmth for outside. No matter how you decide, it's a pure pleasure to see the fascinating pattern evolve.

The Linen Stitch looks impressive but is very easy to knit - with slip stitches and always only one colour per row. The pattern is therefore also suitable for advanced beginners. The hat is knitted in rounds from the hem upwards, and the crown is formed in a star shape using double decreases. The loop scarf is worked in rows, starting with a provisional cast-on, and using grafting to create a seamless loop. The two-coloured garter edges on each side form a visually appealing detail.

The hat is available in three sizes: S [M, L] to fit head circumferences of 46-51 [51-56, 56-61] cm (18-20 [20-22, 22-24] in). The Loop Scarf has a length (full circumference) of 150 cm (59 in) and a width of 19 cm (7.5 in) for the narrow version and 24 cm (9.5 in) for the wider one.

You need 2 resp. 3 skeins of Big Merino Hug in Colour A (142/150/159 g with narrow Loop and 169/177/186 g with the wider one). The indicated gram quantities apply according to the gauge. The consumption for the swatch is included in the skein specifications.

The pieces in the images has been knitted with the colours Isar Pebble(A) and Deep Ocean(B).

Needles:

  • 4.5 mm (US 7) 60 cm (24 in) circular needle or double-pointed needles
  • 5 mm (US 8) 60 cm (24 in) circular needle or double-pointed needles
  • 1 pair 5 mm (US 8) needles

Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.

Knitting techniques used:

Chara is part of our first own collection 2020 with the theme Joy. It was conceived by Rosy and realized with a team around the world in times of a global pandemic. The pattern names are joyful expressions from different languages. They remind us that joy, diversity and solidarity across borders can give us hope and strength. Chara means happiness in Greek.