Fantastic Fidra

After Tiffani made Gudrun Johnston's casual, lace Fidra for her sister-in-law at Christmas time, she and Caitlin knew they each needed one for themselves! Cue an informal Tiger Knit-along!

Tiffani's Fidra

I was looking for something to make my sister-in-law for Christmas and I knew I wanted to make something that would have some cool details, but would be simple and quick enough to whip up during the busy holiday season and I loved the Fidra Hat by Gudrun Johnston. It was a quick knit, with a fun chart that repeats twice. It turned out so cute that I had to have one for myself.  

Pattern: Fidra by Gudrun Johnston
Materials: 1 skein Quince and Co. Osprey in Melbac (available in-store)
Modifications: None

I really loved working with the Quince and Co. Opsrey.  I had never worked with it before, but heard a ton of good things from both customers and fellow tigers that love it.  And I wasn’t disappointed.  It is a soft and sturdy yarn that knits up fast and is available in a beautiful pallet of colors.  I fell in love with this deep wine color, which for me, will go with everything.  

The cast-on calls for a combination of both long tail and german twist cast-on, which I had never tried before. I had to try the german twist technique a few times before I felt confident enough to move forward, but I’m glad I learned it because it worked so well and allowed for so much stretch that I’ll definitely be using it again.  

Caitlin's Fidra

I had seen versions of this hat popping up all over Instagram around the holidays. When Tiffani said she'd be making it as a gift, it seemed like the perfect opportunity for a little KAL.

Pattern: Fidra by Gudrun Johnston
Materials: 1 skein Osprey in Damson (available in-store)
Modifications: none

Fidra is actually written for a bulky weight yarn (Quarry in particular), but Osprey is technically Aran. I knew Tiffani had successfully made the hat with Osprey, so I just went for it! I didn't bother changing the needle size, and it worked out perfectly.  I'm a huge fan of the Quince yarns. They are so squishy and easy to work with, so I'm really pleased with the outcome. Osprey is available in our brick-and-mortar store only, but there are several great options online. Quarry, Malabrigo Chunky, or Lamb's Pride Bulky are just a few!

The lace pattern of Fidra is charted out, but once I got the hang of the symbols, the hat flew by! I'll definitely be making more of these in the future!