Orfeo Hat & Cowl

The Orfeo Hat & Cowl’s swirling colourwork motifs are inspired by the decorative stamped motifs found in 17thC books and music scores. I scaled up the tiny, tiling motifs which border the title page of Monteverdi’s opera L’Orfeo (published in Venice in 1609) to create abstract colourwork full of movement and baroque drama. You can also find the patterns individually here: Orfeo Hat, Orfeo Cowl.

Skills & Techniques
The Twisted German Cast On (optional)
Working stranded colourwork in the round
Following colourwork charts
Working decreases (hat only)

Materials Needed: Hat
1 skein in each of 2 colours of Outlaw Yarn Bohemia Sport (45% Polwarth, 45% Alpaca, 10% Possum; 183yds/167m per 50g skein), or 101yds/92.5m of sport-weight yarn for the Main Colour (MC) + 102yds/93.5m for the Contrast Colour (CC). Sample colourways: ‘Parchment’ (MC) + ‘Leadlight’ (CC).
US 2 - 2.75 mm circular needles (or needle size that gives you the right gauge), and the same size needles for working a small circumference in the round.
You will also need one end-of-round stitch marker + 3 optional markers for between repeats.

Materials Needed: Cowl
2 skeins in each of 2 colours of Outlaw Yarn Bohemia Sport (45% Polwarth, 45% Alpaca, 10% Possum; 183yds/167m per 50g skein), or 216yds/197m of sport-weight yarn for the Main Colour (MC) + 209yds/191m for the Contrast Colour (CC). Sample colourways: ‘Gaslight’ (MC) + ‘Leadlight’ (CC).
US 2 - 2.75 mm circular needles (or needle size that gives you the right gauge).
You will also need one end-of-round stitch marker + 5 optional markers for between repeats, and a needle for weaving in the ends.

Finished Measurements
Hat: 18”/46cm brim circumference, and 8.5”/21.5cm height from brim to crown. To fit 19-22”/48-56cm head circumference.
Cowl: 27”/68.5cm circumference, and 10”/25.5cm height. The circumference can be increased by working additional repeats (36 stitches per repeat).