I saw this Amina ear warmer knitting pattern on Pinterest years ago and I’ve been thinking of knitting it ever since, but TBH, it looked super complicated and the yarn is a bit pricey. Plus, I already have an earwarmer that I love, so it didn’t feel too urgent. Then, enter my new pink wool coat that absolutely clashes with said existing earwarmer… and I officially had an excuse to cast on!
I’m dubbing this my lucky earwarmer, because it’s one of those projects where everything came together perfectly.
The (Free!) Pattern: Amina
The most important bit of luck I encountered is that the pattern that I assumed would be super complicated is actually very easy! It’s called Amina by Krysten Grymes (aka yarnTh3ory), and it’s just herringbone stitch knit flat on the long edge, then you do a fancy seaming step at the end that creates the cool twist. That was honestly the hardest part and it really wasn’t even that hard because Krysten recorded a great demo video.
To add to the luck: the pattern is free! There is actually a free version and a paid version. The free version is for an adult-sized headband in super bulky yarn, which was exactly what I wanted to make. The paid version, available on Ravelry, has more sizes and the option to use bulky or super bulky yarn. I’m always happy to pay for patterns to support designers, but since the free version fit my needs perfectly, I gratefully took the freebie. Very kind, very appreciated, and very lucky!
A Lucky Detour to the LYS in Roslindale, MA: Tight Knit
I had even more luck when it came to sourcing the supplies. So, I don’t really have a LYS near me, but recently, I found myself in Roslindale, MA to meet someone for coffee, and I arrived early so I could check out their LYS, Tight Knit.
It turns out that they sell Malabrigo Rasta and they had some in a pale pink that matched my coat and the colorway is called Rosalinda, which made me giggle because the store is in Roslindale. I was totally feeling the synergy.
Here’s where things got really lucky. I’d never actually looked closely at the pattern until I was standing in the store, yarn in hand, when I realized it called for US 35 circular needles. That’s a 19 mm needle, ya’ll! I asked if they carried needles that big, which they didn’t, but the person at the store was super nice and we looked the needles up online and both of us kind of stared at the screen in disbelief. Size 35 knitting needles are like, comically large. Like, large enough to stake a vampire with. Which, ordinarily, I’d be into, but not today.
Then that LYS magic kicked in. Tight Knit has a Little Free Fiber Library at the back of the store, and she remembered that someone had donated a pair of US 19 straight needles (15 mm). This wasn’t exactly what pattern called for, but it was close enough to give it a try. I was thrilled. Free needles! I figured at the very least, I could swatch and check gauge before dropping $20+ on the larger needles I’d only ever use once. And, since I was already concerned about splurging on the Rasta, the additional expense of buying those needles probably would have been a dealbreaker.
Anyway… my luck continued at home… I got exact gauge on the size 19 needles. No 35s required. And I was able to fit all the stitches on the 14” straight needles, so I didn’t need to upgrade to circs… sometimes the knitting gods really show up for you! I’ll return the needles to the free library next time I’m in the area, and I’ll probably add something else to it too. It feels right to keep that good energy moving.
The finished ear warmer is incredibly warm and wind-tight, which is exactly what I wanted. This is absolutely going to get a lot of wear now that our New England winter has really started setting in.
As for the knitting itself, I won’t lie. Holding giant needles is a little awkward, and the herringbone stitch is quite tight, which makes it more uncomfortable. It wasn’t the end of the world, because it was such a small project, but I wouldn’t want to knit a whole blanket this way. But I’m going to label that as lucky, too, because now I know.
Between the free pattern, the free needles, and the yarn store serendipity, this was definitely a lucky project all around. I was feeling so good that I even bought into a couple of Keno games while I knitted, and… that part didn’t really pan out. I guess you can’t win them all!
yarn details
Malabrigo Rasta in Rosalinda
Super Bulky
100% Merino
Handwash Only
90 yards / 150 grams
Purchased in January 2026
project details
pattern: “The Amina Earwamer (Knit Version)” by Krysten Grymes (yarnTh3ory); find a link to the free pattern or purchase it on Ravelry (there is a crochet version too!)
size knit: Adult (21”)
needles: US size 19 (15 mm) 14” straight needles (Susan Bates) and size 15 for the BO.
gauge: 12 stitches over 4”
yarn used: 47 yards (78 grams) – just barely over half the skein
finished size: 21” in circumference; 4” wide
duration: January 3-11, 2026 (only took a few hours)
notes
- I only did 10 rows instead of 12, so mine is a bit narrower than the pattern called for. I was hoping I’d be able to knit two from the one ball of yarn, but I think I’ll still be a bit shy.
- The pattern instructs you to bind off in pattern; if you need more detailed instructions on how to do that, check out the BO in Purl Soho’s Herringbone Cowl (TY to javalulu on Ravelry for that helpful note!)
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