Michelle My most recent pattern, the Boxy Slouchy, has been a big hit – with my friends and family. Now that winter has officially arrived here in the north, I have been making more Boxy Slouchies and more Bestie Beanies – with different yarns. It’s always interesting to see how a pattern works with another yarn. If you are looking for substitute yarn ideas for these patterns, here are my suggestions.
The Bestie Beanie pattern was written for Malabrigo Merino Worsted – a beautiful yarn! But what if you want a machine washable version? I highly recommend Malabrigo Rios. I got pretty much the same gauge with it. I made it in Coco.
The Boxy Slouchy pattern is written for a sport weight yarn. But what if you want a warmer, thicker version? Rios is a great choice here too. I used the same size needles so it would be tightly knit and I cast on the same number of stitches. Because Rios is a worsted weight yarn I ended up with a hat that is slightly larger. The gauge I got? 22 sts = 4 inches, instead of the original pattern gauge of 24.5 sts. Yes, it’s bigger, but it’s a slouchy. The fit isn’t too far off for my head.
And finally, if you want to make a Boxy Slouchy with a hand painted or variegated yarn but don’t want to change the gauge or size, try Malabrigo Arroyo. I used Plomo and fell in love with it. I will be buying more and making something else – maybe a sweater? It’s gorgeous!
Next, I’d like to make a Bestie Beanie in Cascade 220. Has anyone tried it?
Michelle