Staff Project: Knitted brioche hat in Lily Kate Axis Worsted

Black Sheep Lucy first tried her hand at brioche knitting late December back in '22 (doesn't have the same ring to it as late December back in '63), after being inspired by Black Sheep Barbara who had knitted a one colour brioche balaclava. Fast forward 12 months and Lucy is back on the brioche knitting. After attending Carol Meldrum's two colour Brioche hat knitting workshop at the Craft Barn in October, she put her new skills to the test and knitted Lily Kate Makes "Starkie Beanie" in Lily Kate Makes Axis Worsted yarn.


Pattern name: Starkie Beanie by Lily Kate Makes (Ravelry pattern) 
Yarn: Lily Kate Makes Axis Worsted 
Shade: 9705 Parallax & 9707 Blueshift
What size did you make? One size

How did you find the pattern? Did you make any adjustments? 
I didn’t do the tubular cast on, just my usual long tail cast on as I found this simpler but still with a nice finish.

Have you used this yarn before? How did you find it?
I’ve not used Lily Kate Makes Axis Worsted before but probably will again. It’s a super-smooth, luxurious yarn to use. It’s really lovely to handle, that adds to the fun of the project.

Would you recommend the pattern to someone else? Would you make it again? 
Yes, it’s a really good way to practice brioche or try it for the first time. I’ve recently been on Carol Meldrum’s brioche knitting course so I was keen to consolidate my new skill. Brioche takes a little bit of getting used to and my top tip is to look up a video of how to fix dropped stitches. This is simple to get the hang of.

Anything else you would like to say about it?
The pattern makes a really squishy and warm beanie. It’s super squishy and stretchy and would fit any size head. It’s a perfect make for people who feel the cold or spend a lot of time outside in the winter.