A Cloche Call

This little cloche was inspired by Portland's rainy weather and the sometimes cumbersome nature of umbrellas.  I hate getting rained on but find it's not always easy to carry around my umbrellas, especially when running errands.   There were two balls of Malabrigo lace weight, colour Frank Ogre, hanging out in my stash and I decided to put them to good use.  I used four strands together, (hold both ends of each ball as you knit), to make a warm, water-resistant cloche hat.  The blue version is made from a worsted weight yarn, Shepherd's Worsted in Misty Blue, available from my LYS, Urban Fiber Arts at 428 NW 11th Ave, in Portland's Pearl District.  If you aren't lucky enough to live in Portland, you can find Urban Fiber Arts here, http://urbanfiberarts.com/.  Thanks to the owner, Cindy Abernathy, for the use of Millicent the mannequin.

A Cloche Call

Chartreuse cloche: 2 skeins Malabrigo Lace in Frank Ogre                         
Blue cloche:  1 skein Shepherd's Worsted in Misty Blue

1 pair size 10 needles

1 pair 16” circular needles, size 9

1 button

Gauge:  4 sts to 1” on smaller needles
*Remember if you are using the Malabrigo Lace you will be holding 4 strands together as you work.  Use the ends from both the inside and the outside of each ball*

This cloche almost didn’t happen.  It originally started as a gauge swatch that I thought might look nice as a knitted headband.  As I was casting off on the final row of the band I decided to turn the work and keep going.  The hat kind of just evolved from there.  

Cast on 12 sts with size 10 needles and work in garter st for 6 rows

Buttonhole:  knit 5, k2tog, yo, knit to end

Work 7 more rows, place removable marker or scrap yarn to mark this row 

Work in garter st until piece measures 21”

Bind off, leaving last st on needles

Using the 16” circular needles pick up 101 sts along the 

edge of hat, between the last bind off st and the marked row

Mark beginning of row with marker

(Remember to switch to double pointed needles when there are too few stitches to fit comfortably on circular needles)

Join and work in stockinette st in the round for 2”

Decrease row 1:  ssk, knit 15, repeat to end of row

Work 1 row plain

Decrease row 2:  ssk, knit 14, repeat to end of row

Work 1 row plain

Decrease row 3:  ssk, knit 13, repeat to end of row

Decrease row 4:  ssk, knit 12, repeat to end of row

Decrease row 5:  ssk, knit 11, repeat to end of row

Decrease row 6:  ssk, knit 10, repeat to end of row

Decrease row 7:  ssk, knit 9, repeat to end of row

Decrease row 8:  ssk, knit 8, repeat to end of row

Decrease row 9:  ssk, knit 7, repeat to end of row

Decrease row 10:  ssk, knit 6, repeat to end of row

Decrease row 11:  ssk, knit 5, repeat to end of row

Decrease row 12:  ssk, knit 4, repeat to end of row

Decrease row 13:  ssk, knit 3, repeat to end of row

Decrease row 14:  ssk, knit 2, repeat to end of row

Decrease row 15:  ssk, knit 1, repeat to end of row

Decrease row 16:  ssk, repeat to end of row

Cut yarn, leaving a tail about 6” long

With yarn on a darning needle, thread through remaining sts and pull tight

Weave in ends

Sew on button to correspond to buttonhole

Wear and enjoy!