I love finding that perfect, basic knitting pattern that is easy to memorize, quick to knit and fun to tweak a bit with little details and embellishments. Last month I discovered our Semplice Fingerless Mitts pattern and quickly knit up a whole army of fingerless mittens, just in time for a chilly trip to the Oregon Coast for the weekend! Those mittens were delightfully warm (I dipped into my stash of Wool of the Andes leftovers) and fit all of my friends hands when the wind started to gust.

This month I’m enamored with Jared Flood’s Turn a Square Hat. I’ve had the pattern in my Ravelry queue for ages and when Alison posted about her adventures with the pattern on the blog a few months ago, I decided that I’d better finally give the pattern a try! I love the quick decreases at the end and the nice X shape at the crown after every thing is finished. Plus it’s super easy to memorize. I had some Full Circle Fingering weight yarn in Cardinal haunting my stash from a previous project that was just enough for two hats (and a pom pom!), perfect for those last few chilly nights before summer really arrives. I also had some Wool of the Andes Sport in Oyster Heather that I striped with some Andean Treasure in Fog. That particular combination gave me a stiffer, yet soft fabric because of the combination of Peruvian Wool and wonderfully soft Alpaca. I had some more miscellaneous red yarn that I striped for a more subtle effect. This hat pattern has really encouraged me to use up more of my stash and try different combinations of fiber types. Why not experiment a little when it takes so little time to knit!?

I’m looking forward to my next pattern obsession… perhaps a basic sock pattern? Or cowl? Do YOU have a favorite pattern that you find yourself reaching for as a sort of “palette cleanser” between projects? I would LOVE to hear about your favorites and give them a whirl!