A cockade is a knot of ribbons, or other circular- or oval-shaped symbol of distinctive colours which is usually worn on a hat. (18th/19th century)
From Wikipedia
Design inspiration can come in a moment — or can be a long slog from idea to implementation. I believe that everyone has the capacity to create something that is truly their own and that comes from an inner spark. Like all sparks that light a fire, the spark must be carefully protected, gently coaxed, and gently fanned with purpose to grow. Not all ideas (sparks) take flame. But some….some become a bonfire.
The first Christmas Bruce and I were together, he appeared at the door with great excitement, clutching an express envelope he pushed into my hands even before he had taken off his coat and boots. “Look what came for you today!” he exclaimed. Inside was a catalog, and dozens of small zip-lock bags with mysterious things inside, each carefully labeled and referenced to the catalog called, “Specialty Knitting: Exotic knitting supplies for creative textile artists“. Specialty fibers! I was puzzled — where had he found this unusual company, and what were the fibers in all of these bags? Wire. Something looking like bubble packing in long, thin strips. Foam rubber? Steel wool? My goodness! This looks like the contents of all of the boxes of “stuff” in my garage! I had no idea what to say as I sorted through these bags of mysterious fibers, but as I started to look at the catalog, I realized that Bruce was the Specialty Knitting company, and he, as a joke, had manufactured this amazingly detailed and complex catalog, complete with order forms, and a packing slip for the contents of the envelope he brought to me.
As that dawned on me, my heart nearly burst with love, and my eyes filled with tears. After a rather short time, Bruce had landed square on my passion for fiber and yarn, and had made himself part of that passion. With that gift, he became part of me. He has continued to be heavily involved in all that I do with knitting — my design critic, the proof-reader with all kinds of great suggestions — my math whiz (he’s an engineer and rocket scientist) to figure out curves and increase/decrease spacing.
That evening, I laid out all of the “fibers” he brought me with no real idea in mind. I was right. It was stuff from a garage — HIS garage! Although he had insisted it was a grand joke, my brain kept insisting that they would be knitted together somehow and become something of great importance. The ornament you see above was created in about 10 minutes. I started with the red telephone wire, and only added the button (from my own stash) at the center to make it easy to sew on my winter hat.
The next day, I wore my hat as we took a walk on the frozen lake next to his (now our) house (you can’t see the cockade because it’s next to his head). This ornament, my angel wing cockade, gets compliments each time I wear it. It also is a symbol of what Bruce and I are together. And yes, I made the hat he’s wearing for him that night as well.
I’m not a prolific designer, but I do post my designs on Ravelry. All of the designs, but 1, are free, and I’m delighted if you want to knit one. This simple little beret is one of the most popular, and is shown here knit in my own handspun yarn.