Hey there knitters! I’ve got two new patterns to share with you today. The Too Ra Loo Ra Hap and the Too RA Loo Ra Cowl!
As a duo these two designs function as the next installment in the “Isla & Friends” collection.
Too ra loo ra li
Too ra loo ra loo ral
Hush, now don’t you cry
Too ra loo ra li
Too ra loo ra loo ral
That’s an Irish lullaby
Many years ago
My mother sang a song to me
In tones so soft and low
In her good old Irish way
And I’d give the world if I could hear
That song of hers today
Too ra loo ra li
Too ra loo ra loo ral
Hush, now don’t you cry
Too ra loo ra li
Too ra loo ra loo ral
That’s an Irish lullaby
I love this song so much, to me it means safety and comfort and home and security and peace and tranquility and all that good stuff. Its probably the first song I ever learned, and now I get to sing it to sweet Isla. Its a lovely song and a pretty lovely tradition if I do say so myself….
So while working on the “Isla & Friends” collection I wanted to write a blanket pattern that encompassed all those good feelings of warmth and security. I love love love haps. If you don’t know about them, take a sec to read Gundrun’s lovely post about them HERE.
Traditionally they are knit with lighter weight yarns, but I wanted to write one for a heavier weight, on larger needles to a modern feel. I also wanted to ditch the fussy knitted-on-lace border that accompanies most haps, so I swapped it out for a lace border that is worked right along with the body and a sweet little picot bind off.
Otherwise the construction is traditional hap, you knit a garter stitch square and then pick up stitches along all four sides and continue working out in an ever increasing square until you are finished. Its simple enough, and the final garment is stunning and multi-purpose. What could be better 🙂
Pictured above you can see the two color/DK weight version that I knit for myself out of solstice alpenrose dk. This is heavy and cozy and perfect for chilly winters or cool spring nights. Like a traditional hap it can be worn around the shoulders when its cold out.
For Isla’s hap, the aran weight version I used studio donegal “soft donegal” in emerald green. I love this blanket….and I think Isla does too based on her expression. To me its the embodiment of Irish-American love ;).
The cowl was really inspired by the yarn I knit it in. 
(photo courtesy of Dublin Bay Knitting co.)
Tricia, the brilliant mind behind Dublin Bay Knitting Company and solstice yarn, lost one of her dear kitties this year. She dyed up this lovely specialty colorway of solstice etoile silken camel in his memory. Its called “Seamus Doodlebug” and its the most lovely shade of green. A percentage of the proceeds from this yarn will go to support kitties and puppies in need. Its whimsical and lovely and lively, just like Seamus was. I brought some home with me almost as soon as it was released, and after staring at it every day for a week…it came to me, and Irish cowl for an Irish kitty!
The lace of the cowl echos the lace body of the hap, its an easy/quick knit that really lets the inherent beauty of this luxurious yarn speak for itself.
the pattern also includes instructions for a long circular scarf version…hopefully I will be able to post pictures of it soon.
Both patterns are available HERE on the website and HERE on ravelry. They will both be 20% off now through the end of Wednesday, AND if you’re headed to the rose city yarn crawl next week you can check them out in person for yourself.
I am so proud of both of these patterns and excited to share them. As always I have to thank my amazing tech editor Stephanie Harrison for her hard work and honest feedback, and my awesome test knitters. This crazy knitting design adventure would be impossible without all kinds of support and help.
Now, go listen to the dulcet tones of Bing and enjoy the rest of your Monday night!!
Brittney-Jean
