sassafras

I'm struggling a wee bit at the moment with how little I seem to have accomplished this year in pattern design. Here it is September and I've only published five patterns for the year, and of those five, only two are garments!  I really thought I was going to have so much more time this year with Toby at kinder, but the truth is I don't. I don't know why that is or what that is, maybe it's the extra pick up that's a little too close in time to the end of school to achieve anything productive. Maybe I need to move a bit more on the many patterns I feel like I'm sitting on at the moment. 

I don't feel that I work particularly fast or efficiently, and generally I'm ok with that. I recognise that for the large part my pattern design work must fit in with all our family life and commitments.  Family must and does come first, I love spending time with my kids and husband and we are a family that does like to do things. We are busy. And I like that. I like that we give our kids lots of experiences, time and our friendship.  Every now and then though, I do get a bit antsy about finding the balance.  Sometimes my balance goes way askew and I guess I'm having one of those times. 

I just need to remind myself that it's okay not to be releasing a lot at the moment. I do have a lot in the pipeline.  It's okay. And then I realise that this September -October I'm planning to release five or six new patterns, and suddenly it doesn't seem so bad.  Still I just would love to have them out there now!

Until then though, this is Sassafras, my most recent pattern. I released Sassafras in August. 

If you think the lace looks familiar, you are correct. Sassafras is matching hat pattern for Olinda. 

Many Victorians will recognise the pairing of these two patterns as the names of two little towns in the Dandenong Ranges. These two little towns are incredibly beautiful and enchanting places, so lush and high and gloriously green. For ocean dwellers like my kids, the Dandenongs are a place of wonderment; a place which seems alive with fairies and forest whisperings. How we love that place! How we contemplated six months in the trees running the cute little yarn shop for sale in Sassafras and six months by the ocean living our normal life.  

Just like the Olinda cardie, Sassafras is completely reversible. Wear it reverse stocking stitch side out as a slouchie beanie or wear it as a more traditional style beanie with the stocking stitch side out with brim folded up. 

Sassafras is knit from the bottom or brim upwards. The garter stitch brim is knit first as a strip. Then stitches are picked up along the edge of the brim and the body is worked. 
The lace is an easy one and is quite intuitive. The pattern includes both chart and written instructions for the lace. 
The brim is finished with a special button. The one here is a simple self covered button from my stash. 

The pattern is sized to fit from a 12" to a 24"head which covers pretty much a premature bubba to a large adult head. 

When I released Sassafras on Ravelry there was a special deal for all those who had previously purchased Olinda. If you missed that fear not, I'm sneaking in a special promo discount on the Sassafras for blog readers.
The coupon code "fromtheblog" will give you 50% off the purchase price of Sassafras. This coupon code is limited to the first 30 users, so if you want it get in quick!

Happy knitting!