Ambler Hats

A Really BIG, Totally Huge, Majorly Amazing  Announcement!!

Bohoknits is now designing and consulting for Ambler Hats. You will be seeing some Bohoknits designs peppered in their upcoming 2012 collection. Whether you are Canadian or American, odds are you've already seen their hats in your local outdoors store, MEC or REI.

I am super excited about this, so I want to talk a little bit about Ambler, because they are a fantastic company and I'm thrilled to be working with them and to be a part of their new collection (which will include some old Bohoknits faves as well as some brand new amazingness).

@ the Ambler offices wearing my Ambler hat!

 

Ambler is based in Canmore, Alberta and was founded by a local man who began by sewing up fleece hats in his basement. Fast-forward 10 years and Ambler offers multiple lines of hats all over North America, including a machine-knit merino and the woolly, hand knit Himalayan line (which is where you will see some Bohoknits designs next year!).

The thing that impresses me most about Ambler is that the owners employ actual, responsible practices. Not only are they interesting people in their own right, but business-wise, it is important to them to buy local, they purchase carbon offsets for their shipping, and they employ women in Nepal to create their hand knit hats and even pay them a fair wage (imagine that!). I'm betting they also do things like recycle and come to full stops at stop signs.

Their marketing is also ingenious. The logo tags on their hats read: "Use your head." Good advice. Their facebook catch line is: "There's only one person like the person under your hat." Aw, so true. While checking out their website for the first time, I clicked on "FAQs" expecting standard questions about how their hats fit or where they source their materials. Instead, they answer the truly frequently asked questions: What is the meaning of life? and Why is the sky blue? (My mom taught me the answer to that one when I was little: a scattering of light rays off the blue end of the spectrum - thanks, Mom!) For the answer to the former, you will have to visit their website:

http://www.amblermw.com/

Classic Granny Square Blanket

Here is a classic throwback from the 1970’s that everyone loves. It crochets up quickly, making it great for gift-giving. This blanket is lightweight and reversibile - perfect for babies or adults! This pattern is suitable for beginners and includes tips on seamless colour changing.

Craft: crochet
Skill Level: Rookie-Apprentice-Virtuoso-Genius
Skills: ch, dc

Sizes: one size (adjustable)
Finished Measurements: approx. 35" square

Gauge: not crucial
Yarn: 5 x 100 g, 241 yds (220 m) worsted weight yarn
Suggested Brand: 5 balls Paton’s Canadiana worsted acrylic or medium weight stash yarn

Needles: 5 mm hook
Other Materials: teeny crochet hook or tapestry needle

Instructions:

Alternate colours every rnd.

Make a slip knot. Ch 6. Join in a ring with a sl st.

Rnd 1: Ch 3 (first dc), 2 dc in sp (1 “square” made), *ch 3, 3 dc in same sp*, rep from * to * three times total (4 squares made); ch 3, insert hook into first ch 3 made at beg of rnd and YO with next colour, pull through. (Cut first colour.) Turn. (WS should now be facing you.)

Rnd 2: Ch 3 (first dc), 2 dc in sp, ch 3, 3 dc in same sp, *ch 1, 3 dc in sp, ch 3, 3 dc in same sp*, rep from * to * three times total (8 squares made), ch 1, sl st into first ch 3 (change colours as before). Turn.

Rnd 3: Ch 3 (first dc), 2 dcs in sp, *ch 1, 3 dcs in sp, ch 3, 3 dcs in same sp, ch 1, 3 dcs in next sp*, rep from * to * three times, end 3 dcs in sp, ch 3, 3 dcs in same sp, ch 1, sl st into first ch 3. Turn.

Rnd 4: You will make a 3 dc square + 1 ch in every sp across and two squares + 3 chs in every corner as foll:
Ch 3, 2 dcs in sp, ch 1, *3 dcs in next sp, ch 3, 3 dcs in same sp, ch 1, (3 dcs in next sp, ch 1) rep to corner, rep from * to * around finishing with a sl st into the first ch 3. Turn.

Rnd 5: Ch 3, 2 dcs in sp, ch 1, *(3 dcs in next sp, ch 1) rep to corner, 3 dcs in next sp, ch 3, 3 dcs in same sp, ch 1*, rep from * to * around finishing with a sl st in first ch 3. Turn.

Rep Rnd 5 until blanket is desired size or until you run out of yarn. End with a sl st into first ch 3 of last rnd worked, cut yarn and pull end through.
Weave in all ends.

Notes:

• Make sure you are working two squares in every corner.
• Don’t forget to turn your blanket at the end of every rnd - you should have a sp available to being your next rnd.
• When changing colours, work the first two dcs of the first square over top of the strands for fewer strands to weave in at the end.