Full Spectrum Colourwork Ideas
Full Spectrum hat with the rainbow side showing.
Full Spectrum has definitely been the crowd favourite for the Angles + Light collection. It’s reversible and knit all in one go — from the top of one crown through the brim to the crown of the other. Gauge Dye Works has created three fun colourways so the stripes appear as you work on the rainbow side, which feel pretty magical. But the other side is a wonderful palette for your creativity!
Isn’t that a clever construction? The Full Spectrum hat pulled apart so that both sides are visible.
The Full Spectrum transparent boxes colourwork.
Here’s How
The stitch count for the main part of the hat is 144, which is an absolutely beautiful number. Why so beautiful, you ask?? Well, if you love the transparent boxes colourwork, go with it! But if you want to play a bit, or if you’ve already made one to spec and you want to mess around on your second try, there are so many other colourwork motifs that could fit beautifully. And there are so many that would work because 144 has so many divisors! Divisors are numbers that fit into a bigger number evenly. For example, the divisors of 10 are 2 and 5. No other numbers will fit in evenly. (Well, technically 1 and 10 are also divisors of 10, but they’re not that useful for what we’re doing.) The divisors of 144 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 16, 18, 24, 36, 48, 72, and 144. So any motif that has a repeat of any of those numbers will fit onto this hat! For knitting charts, 1 is nonsensical and those bigger numbers — 48, 72, and 144 — aren’t terribly practical. But all those smaller numbers are great ones to choose from! That means you can create your own charts that have repeats of any of those numbers, or you can search your favourite colourwork stitch dictionary to find one.
I just so happen to have written just such a stitch dictionary, AlterKnit Stitch Dictionary. And in the back on pages 163-164 there’s a whole list of the swatches by stitch count and page number. So you can just go down the list and find one you love!
For example, Catherine over at Gauge Dye Works used Hex (page 26) for her Daybreak colourway toque. Hex is a 12-stitch repeat, so she repeated it 12 times around the toque. (12 x 12 = 144)
Full Spectrum hat in the Daybreak Colourway using Hex chart from page 26 of AlterKnit Stitch Dictionary.
The other side of the Daybreak colourway. That sunrise colour!!
There are so many other options too! I suggest going for one that you think will work as a horizontal band rather than a big all-over thing. And double check that it isn’t super tall. The original boxes motif is 16 rows, so you should probably stick to something close to that in order to get a similar look. Hex is 8 rows tall so Catherine was able to just work Rows 1-8 twice.
Want some other ideas? (These are shown below starting at the top left.)
Plated, page 29. A multiple of 16, so it’ll fit in 9 times.
Hoot, page 106. A multiple of 18, so it’ll fit in 8 times.
Shark Skin, page 46. A multiple of 12 so it’ll fit in 12 times.
Mustard, page 89. A multiple of 16 so it’ll fit in 9 times.
Just have fun exploring! And be sure to share what you make. Ravelry projects are so helpful for other knitters and fun to explore! You can also use the #fullspectrumhat and #andrearangelknits hashtags on Instagram, and tag me too! I’m @andrearangelknits.
Get the Full Spectrum pattern here on my website or over on Ravelry if you'd like to keep it in your Rav library. You can also buy it as part of the Angles + Light ebook here or on Ravelry.
Get the yarn from Gauge Dye Works.
Pattern Specs
Finished Dimensions
To fit head circumference 20-23 in/51-58.5 cm
Brim circumference: 20 in/51 cm
Main hat circumference: 22 in/56 cm
Hat length top of crown to bottom of brim: 9.5 in/24 cm
Yarn
Gauge Dye Works Merino Twist
(80% superwash merino, 20% nylon; 443 yd/405 m per 115g skein)
Colour: Full Spectrum; 1 skein
If substituting yarn, you’ll need about 440 yd/402 m fingering weight yarn:
Colour 1 (grey): 70 yd/64 m
Colours 2-6 (rainbow): 30 yd/27 m each
Colour 7 (blue): 220 yd/201 m
Colour 8 (beige for colourwork): 30 yd/27 m
Blocked Gauge
Gauge measurement should be taken after blocking.
20 sts/36 rows = 4 in/10 cm in St st using middle-sized needle
Needles & Notions
Needle Sizes are recommendations only. Always use needle size necessary to obtain gauge.
Suggested Size US 3/3.25 mm 16 in/40 cm circular needle
Suggested Size US 4/3.5 mm 16 in/40 cm circular needle and set DPN’s or long circular needle for magic loop method
Suggested Size US 6/4 mm 16 in/40 cm circular needle
4 stitch markers (including one unique marker to distinguish beginning-of-round)
tapestry needle
Skills
working small circumference using double pointed needles or magic loop method, increasing, ribbing, working stranded colourwork from a chart, decreasing
