Friday is pattern release day, and today I have for you a pair of bunnets.
Bunnet is a colloquial Scots term for a hat. The word bunnet is etymologically related to the English bonnet, and the French bonnet, but while the English term has predominantly feminine associations, the word bunnet is most often used in Scotland in reference to the headgear of an ordinary working man. A flat, cloth cap is what first springs to mind when one thinks of the word bunnet, and like those hats, these are similarly intended as ordinary, workaday headgear. These bunnets are simple hats both to make and wear – but their colourful crowns make them stand out from the crowd.
The striped bunnet pleases me in its simplicity. From the side, it is a classic, slightly slouchy hat, worked up in the lovely silvery-grey of haar (I love all the Buachaille shades, but this is definitely one of my favourites)
But from the back, the bunnet reveals its colourful five-pointed crown, created by centred double decreases (probably my all-time favourite decrease). I love how these decreases lend a crown immediate geometric structure.
The striped bunnet is shown here in a looser, slouchy version, but its stranded companion has a closer, beanie-like fit.
This version features corrugated ribbing, and, using a stranded method for the two-colour crown allows the simple geometry to work slightly differently.
The hat body uses the majority of one skein, but less than a third of a skein of the contrast colour is used. Juggling shade quantities was one of the most tricksy elements of designing this collection, and it was very satisfying to be able to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together in such a way that would allow everyone to be able to make the most of seven skeins of Buachaille!
The bunnets have now been revealed, and that means I can (with considerable excitement) show you the front cover of the book we are now very close to going to press with. (As you can see, I am wearing the striped bunnet and the Kokkeluri mittens in the photo).
I can’t tell you how happy this book makes me! Not only is it my first collection using my own yarn, but it also celebrates many of the other things that make me feel at home, living here, with the West Highlands on my doorstep. Tom has cooked up five delicious recipes, using traditional ingredients and a dash of Scottish culinary history, and our friend Gordon Anderson takes you on a guided walk around the iconic peak of Buachaille Etive Mòr. Tom has completely outdone himself with the photography, and the whole thing is (with book-designer Nic’s inimitable help) looking really rather beautiful. In so many ways it is a book that feels like us, and I hope you don’t my saying that I am very proud of it, and of everyone involved in making it.
Buachaille: At Home in the Highlands will be shipped out to Seven Skeins members early next month, and will be on general public release shortly afterward.
I am wholeheartedly in agreement with all the comments above: the patterns are delightful and will be especially helpful to me as I am a beginning knitter of one year but have a wonderful teacher who has been knitting for, oh, 50-ish years? But truly, your entire artistic aesthetic is so great and inspiring! So happy that I was able to join the club! The club and the blog are a miniature woolly (wooly-amer.) smorgasbord of knitting, yarn, clothing, and landscape with a great dog to top it off!
Thanks Lissa and Kate for filling us in on that fab coat!!
Cynthia
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This whole Buachaille journey is just awesome! Everything you do is amazing and the book is something more to eagerly anticipate.
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JUST FOUND THE COAT ALSO……….SIGH………..
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the one I’m wearing is a vintage version, found on eBay . . .
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I’m looking so forward to receiving this book! I haven’t knit with my yarn yet, but I did treat myself to the seven skeins club this fall. We live in the states (Wisconsin) and found out this evening that a friend of the contractor working on a remodeling project at our house raises Scottish Highland cattle on the side! We were in Scotland in June for 10 days and did a lot of hiking (Cairngorms, Isle of Skye, Loch Lommond) and keep dreaming about when we could possible afford to go back.
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Warm Aloha from Maui to you and your team on your wonderful book with those delightful patterns. We are on vacation from the rain this month but I am sitting here planning with which project to begin to enjoy your Buachaille yarn awaiting me at home.
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Beautiful, beautiful – you may have me leaning to the dark side of stranded knitting! Mmm, I dream of the beautiful blue as the main and contrast with the gray, (which will go well with my hair).
It is lovely to see you looking so happy with the photo chosen for the book cover. All credit to you all on your great endeavour… (and I can’t wait to get my hands on it when it is released to the hoi polloi!)
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Wonderful bunnet, I must make one for my little grandson who LOVES headgear of any sort. However, like many others the Coat is a “must have”. I have a skirt with the lovely Tulip look, I do hope you will share info. with all of us interested. It would be exciting if it is a pattern that can be purchased.
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I want to make a bunnet and pawkies to match!
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The book cover is wonderful! Mario, our mailman, is going to be tired of me asking if it’s here yet!
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Haar is my favorite of the Buachaille colors, too, and I haven’t even seen it in person yet (missed the sign-up for the Seven Skeins club, so have to wait for general release). Congratulations on a beautiful collection. I look forward to seeing book and yarn!
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Please, oh please, Kate. We’re all going bonkers wondering about your lovely coat. Do please share.
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I just found it on the Cabbages & Roses website, but it doesn’t look like they have it in plaid anymore. :(
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I cannot say enough about how thrilled I am to be part of all of this! One of the best “click to buy now” decisions I’ve ever made in my knitting life! What fun!
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You should be very proud, Kate. The yarn, the patterns, the club, and now the book – they are all magnificent. Well done you!
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I love the book and the bonnets! I am looking forward to getting my copy of the book as well as the wider release of the yarn and patterns. I signed up for he newsletter early on, but didn’t receive it. So I missed out on the club. But I’ll be happy to get my hands on the yarn and patterns this new year, and a copy of your beautiful book!!!! Good job!!
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The hats are both so neat. I’m going to have a hard time choosing which one to knit up first! I’m so looking forward to my copy of the book. Just as with your Yokes book, I expect to tell the family that they’re on their own until I get through every page of it!
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I am very much in agreement with you that Tom has ‘completely outdone himself with the photography’. I am looking forward to the yarn and book being available after the new year! Everything just looks fairy-tale perfect!
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I can;t wait to be able to buy your book…and yarn..but Please tell me about the coat on the book cover!!! Is is a pattern to purchase? Could it be soon?
Julie
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Everything you do is so well thought out, with great eye for art, wonderful writing, and so inviting to knit! Rally Kate i think you and your fantastic team have out done yourselves!
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Great hats Kate, but I also love the teal cardi / coat your wearing, I’d love to know where it’s from.
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More about that tartan coat please – who where what why. Very Vivienne Westwood
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Oh Kate, the cover of your new book is stunning! I can hardly wait to receive my copy of Buachaille, At home in the Highlands. I have been hoping for a new hat design and I was excited when I saw Bunnets this morning. I love them both and will be making both of them. I just need to choose which shades of Buachaille to pick for casting on. I love them all! Thank you Kate!
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Stunning and totally looking forweard to that book!! Whoo Woo and your coat is amazing, LOVE the asymmetrical and the plaid of course :) The hat is lovely. How many times can we say GOOD JOB ?
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love the hats, and the way the decreasing makes a gorgeous pattern. And of course, photography is incredible as always.
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I too love your coats and the hats go so well with them! Charming. Did you make your coats?
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All exquisite and dreamy! Well done to you and your esteemed support team/contributors!
Beautiful photography, beautiful clothes, beautiful country!!
Much to be proud of ;)
Look forward to the pubic release :-)
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Beautiful patterns :) I’m looking forward to be able to buy them next year :) I thought I should point out that in French bonnet doesn’t have a feminine association at all… It means beany and is also used to describe for instance a swimming cap (bonnet de natation) or shower hat (bonnet de douche), or just any plain old beany, in a unisex way :) it’s not particularly associated with the type of hat that the English word bonnet refers to… :)
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Thankyou for pointing this out, Noemie! I had made a completely incorrect assumption and will correct it!
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Yes bonnet refer to something tight on the head, if it’s loose then it’s a chapeau :) oh it’s my pleasure, you’re very welcome :)
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Sadly, I missed out on the Seven Skeins club but have still been following along with interest (and looking forward to the wider release of the pattern!). I would just like to say how much I appreciate the effort you put into everything you do, to make sure that it is not only perfectly functional (your patterns are so well written), but that they also look beautiful as well. It’s a pleasure. That colourwork hat might be simple, but the attention to detail is exquisite. I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate it.
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No we don’t mind at all you saying you’re proud of all the loving work you’ve done! Every step, every picture, every skein speaks of the love you feel for both Scotland and the Scottisch wool. Chapeau! (or should I say: Bunnets off? ☺)
Love from a Frisian lass who happens to be Scottish in her heart. Greetje
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Every time I read one of your posts, I want to move to Scotland!
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Wery Nice hats 👍🏼
The long squered coat , wauv 😊
Is it your own design ?
Can it be bought ?
Regards Trine
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Gorgeous hats and the book looks stunning! Well done team an amazing combined effort, you should be really proud of yourselves. I can’t wait to see it ‘in the flesh’!
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Bunnet? Nice name for a hot clothe
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in French, it’s “bonnet” also. ( not bonet )
I love that you do !!!
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thankyou, my apologies
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Stunning designs and all together a wonderful concept. I don’t think anyone has done anything like this, yarn, patterns and a wonderful book to round it all off.
The book will give me the push I need to climb Buachaille.Always talked about it but will have to wait till the days are a bit longer . Thank you thank you thank you Kate and Tom and all the team.
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Lovely hats, but even more I want your coat !!!! it’s gorgeous, where is it from ? xx
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Agree with Sara, it’s positively stunning! So original too; did you make it yourself?
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