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Selbu Modern



Selbu Modern is the name of a free pattern found on Ravelry to make a woman's toque/cap designed by Kate Gagnon Osborn.  Selbu is a municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway, the birthplace of Selburose.  It has a very distinct diamond-shaped pattern that can be seen here.  Obviously the Selbu Modern pattern, more clearly seen below, has rounded the diamond shapes and added the three roses making it more updated.

This pattern was recommended by Judy, my instructor, after the two-handed knitting class (Fair Isle) as the first project one should knit this way.  I looked at the flower-motif and thought, this would really be beautiful if I could pull it off.



In November at the end of the second night of class I asked Judy to help me select yarn that would work best.   I wanted to use a charcoal gray colour as one of the two and she recommended a light gray both in Rowan Fine Tweed.  Judy also suggested I use the light gray as the background (MC=main colour) and the charcoal gray as the foreground (CC=contract colour).

Last week after my gift giving list was finished I started Selbu Modern; it was simply wonderful to knit.  The Fair Isle knitting worked up like a charm, and I couldn't put it down because I was so motivated to see the pattern develop. Poor Paul had to stop several times in an evening to review the work I'd done. Then about Thursday the simple awe wore down enough that I could celebrate the accomplishment on my own internally.  My version of Selbu Modern was complete on Friday, blocked on Saturday and ready for a reveal today.  Tada~~~~



My version of Selbu Modern
Although it can be shaped into a tam, I choose to block it in more a cap/toque shape that will slouch in the back.  To do that, one places the wet tam over a balloon.  Should one want a beret shape, a round plate can be placed in the hat as it dries.

This project was so satisfying I've already started another similar pattern.  Here's a quick look at what I've accomplished so far this week.  More about it later.

My DIY Fair Isle Hat by Meg Myers

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