Today’s hap is designed by talented Veera Välimäki, whose interview you can read over on Jen’s blog today. Veera is one of a very small group of designers whose knitterly aesthetic is, I think, immediately recognisable. I admire her work deeply, perhaps most of all for its elegant simplicity, and the way that she manages to make those qualities appear completely effortless in a finished object.
Veera’s Theme and Variation hap was inspired by the texture and geometry of the wooden floorboards she saw in a St Petersburg Museum. Combining signature garter stitch stripes with short rows, the pattern is written in three sizes, with the largest being big enough to wrap snugly around the body (in much the same manner as a Shetland hap).
. . .while the hap’s medium and small sizes might be draped about the neck in a wrap or scarf-like manner.
The hap uses two different shades of Tosh merino light to great effect, as the subtle tones of the Dust Bowl colourway set off the bright neon speckles of Holi Festival.
There’s also a ‘surprise’ to be found in the hap’s reversible hem, where a sneaky use of 1×1 rib allows the stripes to work against each other, multi-directionaly
We shot these photographs with Lauren Anderson out at Reawick. The colours of Veera’s hap looked truly spectacular against a bright blue Shetland sky.
Thankyou, Veera, for contributing such a thoughtful and beautiful design.
Jen and I have been working on this project for over a year now, and are enjoying being able to finally share these wonderful haps with you! Each hap really deserves its own mini-launch, and it is lovely for us both to be able to spend a day focusing on the work of each designer. There are seven more hap designs to to be revealed, and you can continue to follow their appearance here as well as on Jen’s blog and Ravelry each day. The book is available to pre-order from my shop, and will ship out from us in early June.
KDD & Co 
This hap will be perfect for my office – it’s freezing in the summer when they turn on the air conditioning, but a full blanket or wrap is too much. Can’t wait to make one!
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A fascinating pattern, and an excellent choice of colourways in which to knit it!
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Will you be selling Hap tote bags ? I have the ‘ yokes ‘ bag and would love a ‘ haps ‘ one to keep my hap knitting in . Counting the days to getting my hands on the book.
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I just love this, but I’m wondering. What distinguishes a hap from a shawl? I always thought haps were the large square shawls, not triangles.
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“Hap” just means “wrap” or “covering” and has often been applied in Scotland to many different kinds of textiles– woven, crocheted or hand knitted. The key is that a hap is an ordinary, everyday shawl rather than a luxury item. All of the designers were inspired by different aspects of the everyday – in Veera’s case, floorboards.
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A beauty a day!
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I’ve admired Veera’s work since she began designing. This is one that I’m sure to knit. These yarn choices are stunning in this design! Bravo!
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Oh, I really like this one! Must say my fave is the First one but this is running a very close second! This is very fun seeing these every day and YES, my book should be on it’s way soon! Thank you, thank you!
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I am one hap hap happy girl. This is a perfect way to start the day. I get my coffee, crawl back in bed & see what you have for me today. I am so into Haps. Unlike a sweater they don’t care how round you get, they still fit! Can’t wait to hold the book in my hands. Fabulous job.
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Love it! Waiting patiently for my copy!😀
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OK, Kate, you’ve sold me. I just now placed my pre-order for the book. I look forward
to receiving it! Wishing you much success with this book and future endeavors.
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What a wonderful way to pass the time until the book launch. Kate I continue to be amazed at everything you do. Whether it is designing or marketing you are PURE DEAD BRILLIANT 😀 Each pattern release gets even better than the previous one. Will have to give up all other knitting to knit on haps.
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