This is Torfin, a slightly slouchy colourwork hat knitted in Milarrochy Tweed and my entry into Kate Davies’ West Highland Way hat competition, which closed last Friday. Sadly I wasn’t a winner (there were some amazing and beautiful hats entered, have a look in Kate’s Ravelry group), but I had such lovely feedback after I posted a photo on Instagram, that I’ve decided to self-publish Torfin instead.
I used 3 shades of Kate’s Milarrochy Tweed: Birkin (pale grey), Buckthorn(deep orange) & Bruce (dark grey) and the design is inspired by a local landmark here in Edinburgh, Corstorphine Hill Tower, on Corstorphine Hill. The tower is a memorial to Sir Walter Scott, and was built in 1872, out of local whinstone, possibly sourced from the hill itself. The surrounding hill and woodlands are a great place for walking, exploring and sledging (of late!), and from May to September it’s possible to visit the tower and climb to the top.
Building Fairy Houses on Corstorphine Hill
The name Torfin comes from the medieval name for Corstorphine – ‘Crostorfin’, which is thought to mean ‘Torfin’s crossing’ and although there’s no record of who Torfin was, the area was full of small lochs and marshes at the time.
I took inspiration for the colour-work motif from the shape of the tower’s windows and the buttresses. The colours reference both the local whinstone and the autumn colours of the numerous beech trees which surround the site. This is a great photo of the tower, and one that I used for my design: click here
Before Torfin is released, I’m planning to rework the top of the hat to make it slightly slouchier, and also to incorporate some addition patterning to the crown decreases. I’m also hoping to offer the pattern in three sizes! If you’d like to be one of the first to know when Torfin is available, and receive an exclusive discount code, sign up to my newsletter mailing list here.
Recent Comments