Bunny Ears Back

For the pattern I'm working on, I came up with an interesting decrease that turns out to have been invented more than once already (not really a surprise to me).

The name other people use for it is Bunny Ears Back (because it's a variant of another decrease called Bunny Ears). (There's even a Ravelry group!)

Anyway, I've worked up a handout (also available as a PDF) to go with the pattern. I'd like to share it with you and ask for help in finding confusing spots:

Bunny Ears Back

a centered single decrease

Say you're making mirrored decreases in an upside down V over an odd number of stitches. When you get to the top, you have three stitches left that need to become two. The easy thing to do is to make one decrease and knit the other stitch. However, this isn't symmetrical and can irritate those of us who like parallel construction. I was recently in this situation and came up with an alternative; I was sure I was not the first to think of this, and indeed, I found a group on Ravelry--the Bunny Ears Decrease Fans. (If you're not on Ravelry, a blog post by another inventor of this decrease.)

The quick description of this is that you first start by making a left-leaning decrease with the first two stitches, then pick up the second of the stitches again and make a right leaning decrease. Here are some diagrams:

1. Make a left-leaning decrease in whatever way you prefer. Result:
   
2. Pick up the second stitch with the left needle:
   
3. Knit the two stitches on the left needle together so they lean to the right. (Combination knitters might need to reseat the third stitch so the right leg is in front.)
   

Please let me know if you find this at all confusing!

Pinion, redux

I posted this pattern last year, and will be donating any proceeds from December 2010 to help a friend's friend and his family make it through a personal disaster: he was caught in random violence and needs reconstructive surgery.

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This lacy tam is worked from the center outwards. The design spirals outward and flows into a ribbed brim. It looks more complicated than it is--if you know how to knit in the round, purl, knit two together, knit three together, and make a yarn over, you can make this hat.

Both charts and written out instructions (in abbreviations) are provided, along with suggestions for modifying the brim size to fit.

Other materials required include a darning needle for working in ends, about a yard of smooth, thin yarn for making a lifeline, and a plate for blocking (about 10 inches or 25cm in diameter).

You shouldn't need a Ravelry account to .

If you have a Ravelry account, here's the pattern page for Pinion.

Thank you!