I'm excited to finally share Chromia Hood, a new knitting pattern pattern that I designed for Quince & Co. that officially launched this weekend in conjunction with Vogue Knitting Live. The sample and the pattern made their debut on the VKL show floor, which still feels a little surreal (more on that below!)

This design has been bouncing around my head for QUITE a while (turns out, motherhood is no joke!) The concept started as something much bigger and more complicated before it found its right form in this fun little accessory.

From an Unfinished Idea to a Finished Pattern

Many of the details in Chromia Hood were first explored in a different design I worked on more than a year ago. That earlier piece was a cardigan featuring similar intarsia stripes and border treatments, but on a much smaller scale and with far more complexity.

As the cardigan design progressed, it became clear that it was probably never going to be published. It relied on a lot of advanced techniques and leaned heavily into an artsy, experimental space, which meant the audience for it would likely be quite small. Around the same time, I was also extremely pregnant (as you can see in the pic below) with my second son and heading into the final stretch before Rhinebeck 2024. Between the complexity of the design and the reality of impending newborn life, it simply was not a project I had the time or energy to push across the finish line.

Even so, I loved many of the details.

The graphic intarsia stripes on garter stitch, the combination of i cord and slipped stitch edging, and the overall visual language of the piece stayed with me.

When Quince & Co. later reached out with a request for accessory designs, I immediately thought back to that cardigan. Accessories felt like the perfect place to revisit those ideas in a more focused, approachable way. Chromia Hood grew directly out of that moment.

Color and Detail

The bold striped sections in Chromia Hood are worked using a basic, approachable intarsia technique. Because the stripes are straight and regular, the color changes are very easy to manage.

Along the edges, a built in i-cord pairs with a subtle slipped stitch border. These small details frame the piece and give it a polished finish, without overwhelming the simplicity of the overall fabric.

I describe all of these techniques and more in a technique tutorial video which you can see below (also linked in the pattern).

The Yarn

Chromia Hood is knit in Osprey by Quince & Co., an aran-weight yarn spun from 100% American wool. Osprey has a beautiful balance of structure and softness. It is plush and squishy in the hand, with enough body to hold the graphic stripes and hood shape, but soft enough to wear comfortably against the neck and face.

Despite being a woolen yarn, it is not itchy at all, which was especially important for a piece designed to sit so close to the skin. It is a real pleasure to work with on the needles, and the generous color palette made it easy to find a combination that felt bold, graphic, and still very wearable.

If you are substituting yarn, look for an aran-weight wool with good loft and elasticity so the garter stitch fabric stays cushy and the hood keeps its shape.

Construction, Speed, and Difficulty

Chromia Hood is worked flat in one piece from tip to tip, then folded and seamed at the back of the head to form the hood. The shaping is created with straightforward increases and decreases, which make the knitting intuitive and easy to follow.

Knit on US 10 needles with aran weight yarn, this is a fast project. It is especially well suited to confident beginners or intermediate knitters who want to try intarsia in a low pressure way, without committing to a large or highly technical garment. The chunky gauge, garter stitch fabric, and rhythmic color changes make it a satisfying knit that moves quickly while still staying engaging. For knitters looking for something that feels substantial but does not require weeks of commitment, this project hits that sweet spot. You could probably knock this out over a couple of weekends.

A Hat, a Scarf, or Something In Between

This is not my first hood, and it is certainly not my first scarf, but it is my first "hooded scarf" to design. As an accessory category, hooded scarves seem to have really surfaced over the past few years, though I'm sure they're not actually new.

There is something a little old world about them. They bring to mind practical layers worn by grandmothers, or perhaps something that might frame a perfectly set 1960s bouffant. At the same time, they feel very current. Comfortable, unfussy, and quietly confident.

I think we can thank Gen Z for helping push this kind of accessory back into the spotlight. Their embrace of comfort, warmth, and function over trend driven impracticality has made space for pieces like this again. For that, I am deeply grateful. Especially for the rejection of ankle socks. Gen Z, please also take a look at leg-warmers. It's time! And, I have some ideas...

At its core, Chromia Hood is about flexibility. It offers the warmth and coverage of a hat when you need it, but behaves like a scarf the rest of the time. Easy to pull on and off, comfortable indoors, and adaptable to different ways of wearing. When it came time to categorize it on my site, there wasn't a perfect fit. In the end, I chose Hat, even though the piece happily resists a single label.

Launching with Quince & Co. at Vogue Knitting Live

Releasing this pattern in partnership with Quince & Co. and debuting it at Vogue Knitting Live has been incredibly special. The sample was displayed in the Quince & Co. booth, and the pattern was part of a show giveaway, which made the launch feel communal and celebratory.

I am deeply grateful to Quince & Co. for their support throughout this process, and to everyone who stopped by the booth.

The Pattern

Chromia Hood is available now here on my website, through my Ravelry shop, on Payhip, and at Quince & Co so you can get started right away. I can't wait to see how knitters make it their own, whether that means bold contrast or a quieter, more subtle palette.

You can find the full pattern and materials list via the links above. Also, I'd love for you to find me on Instagram and tell me what you think!

As always, thank you for knitting along with me.