May 2026 - Olga Buraya-Kefelian
May’s Beanie Brigade steps into a richer, earthier mood with our worsted weight 100% Peruvian Highland Wool. At 218 yards per 100g skein, this base is sturdy yet soft, with that classic woolly feel that makes every stitch feel grounded and intentional. It has just enough structure to showcase texture beautifully, while still blooming into a fabric that’s warm, breathable, and made to last season after season.
The featured colorway, Dew & Moss, feels like a quiet walk through a forest just after rain. Deep greens are layered with subtle hints of blue, creating a tonal story that shifts gently in the light. It’s calm, a little mysterious, and blends effortlessly into any yarn stash. It's just the kind of color that can settle into ones wardrobe like it’s always belonged there.
This month we are also very excited to feature Olga Buraya-Kefelian’s Roku hat pattern. Known for her thoughtful architectural approach to knitwear, Olga creates pieces that are both meditative to knit and striking to wear. Roku is a perfect match for Dew & Moss, with its clean lines and rhythmic texture allowing the colorway to move and deepen across the fabric. It’s the kind of project that pulls you in, where each round feels simple, but the finished piece tells a much more intricate story.
Roku Hat Patttern
May Designer: Olga Buraya-Kefelian
Q1: Can you take a moment to introduce yourself and share a bit about your journey into knitwear design?
A1: My name is Olga Buraya-Kefelian, I was born and grew up in Belarus, and I have been designing probably most of my life. Growing up we had few knitting patterns and had to create our own. When I moved to the States and later I found myself as a military spouse without much opportunity or employment, I found that knitting helped me quell my anxieties over the hardships of that lifestyle. And over the years and through my own curiosity I found a community of knitters online by starting a knitting blog, and then with Ravelry's launch in 2007, a platform which allowed me to continue my journey of self-publishing patterns. This year actually marks 20 years since I published my first knitting pattern.
Q2: The Roku hat was published in December 2014, and its name comes from the Japanese word for "ribs" or "rib cage." Can you walk us through the story behind this design?
A2: Absolutely! We spent 4 years in Japan before my spouse retired from the military, but I am actually educated as a linguist and a teacher of English. So I love everything when it comes to different languages, words and their structure, how it evolves and changes over time, just like knitting! And to me learning is always fun.
Japanese is a language that has a lot of words that when they are pronounced sound the same but have different kanji symbol to explain its precise meaning. When I was working on Roku, I really just wanted to create a perfect ribbed beanie that is polished but also reversible and has a crown that has decreases as pleasing on right and wrong sides. And the linear texture of rib is what prompted me to look for a good name in a way related to its look. My Japanese friend Meri helped me out in naming it actually! Fun fact is that Roku in a different kanji also means six.
Q3: You began your pattern-writing career while traveling the world as a military spouse, adapting to a new place every two years. How did that life of constant movement shape the way you design, and do you think it's part of why your work feels so portable and universally wearable?
A3: I think the travel part of the lifestyle is what allowed me to become choosier when it came to having and owning things. Creating and designing items that are versatile, convertible and transformable that allow me to style it multiple ways so I can adapt this single piece of clothing to a certain need that I have in a particular moment. Those are definitely not as portable in the sense of the projects being more garment-style. But it did teach me to want to own less, just to have my wardrobe stretch further in this manner.
Q4: Texture and 3D knitwear concepts play such a strong role in your work. What draws you to textured stitches and how do you approach developing them in a way that feels both interesting and intuitive to knit?
A4: There isn't an easy way to answer it as 3D knitwear and origami knitting are the textures that I have personally been drawn to for a long time. I am fascinated by the possibilities of exploring different knit techniques that I can use to achieve but also preserve all of these textures throughout wear. We know knitting is very soft, stretchy and malleable, while some textures require rigidity and precision. Sort of having two of these polar opposites meet in the middle and make them wearable! As a teacher, I want knitters to have fun making them while learning a technique or two, but also to enjoy wearing them. So often I would try to find a solution for a certain technique if it's too complex to make it easier for not to overwhelm the maker. And I know from knitting for many years there can always be more than one way to achieve certain results.
Q5: The Roku hat pattern has over 1,100 projects on Ravelry and a 4.8 star rating and has clearly resonated with a wide community of knitters. What do you think knitters are responding to when they fall in love with a design like this one?
A5: I know some simple projects can provide a certain level of comfort. Like some people are drawn to making socks, I am drawn to making hats. I always strive for clarity in my patterns, including all the tiny details crucial and beneficial to a design's longevity as a frequently worn item, but also making it easy to remember directions. The ways of styling it with the tall part standing up, or pulling it down and folding over the brim is what gives the pattern a wide range of use. Versatility of this small hat comes from its reversible design, hopefully appealing to knitters who can easily choose their preferred side, and with stretchy fabric and several sizes allowing it to fit anyone from kids, teens, and adults.
Q6: Your designs often feel both architectural and organic at the same time. How do you balance structure with creativity in your process?
A6: I feel that is my personal achievement at frequently reviewing my processes and pausing to edit, and removing or replacing elements that do not work. I know some of us as designers become very enthusiastic about our ideas and it is easy to get carried away. We can overdesign or include too much and that can often intimidate knitters or overwhelm the final design look. So editing my own work often is what helps achieve that balance, sometimes stepping away from it for a period of time after overthinking or to seek a solution, then coming back to look at the bigger picture.
Q7: Looking back at when you first designed the Roku Hat in 2014 to now, how has your perspective as a designer shifted or deepened?
A7: I know that as a teacher and designer I am always willing to learn and to improve, so with every single new pattern I always strive to improve on my pattern writing skills and to include as many possible helpful graphics and schematics to allow knitters to follow those directions with confidence.
Q8: How do you typically think about yarn selection when designing, and what excites you about seeing your work interpreted in different fibers and colors?
A8: I am a bit backwards in my process, I will admit that I love to design or customize stitch patterns, and then I look for the perfect yarn which would enhance its properties and make it shine best. And only then I will decide what type of project that combination between the yarn and stitch pattern will become. Then comes the color choice following whether it will become a garment, a detail on a garment, or if its best showcased in an accessory.
Q9: Can you share a bit about your relationship with color? Are you drawn more to neutrals, bold statements, or something in between?
A9: My personal taste shows through my frequent use of the monochromatic palette throughout, but I do love pops of bright color as they are just very fun! A lot of warm colors don't look as great on me as I am also my own model, so you won't frequently see me using them for my samples. But as an admirer of fashion, I do also keep an eye on latest trendy color combinations and I like to incorporate them into my work as well as my own wardrobe whenever they coincide. While neutral colors have their place and they show off the texture best, my most worn and used neutrals are of the cold variety as well.
Q10: What has knitting taught you about yourself that you didn’t expect?
A10: It is ok to fail and not be perfect at everything I do. With knitting, you can rip out and try again. And in life, it is ok to admit failure, review, re-assess, adjust and move forward with this new experience.
Q11: What keeps you inspired and connected to knitting after all these years of designing?
A11: That there are always more new things to learn and experience! I might be teaching knitting and crochet, but I know there is so much more that I would like to learn.
Q12: If someone is knitting the Roku Hat as part of Beanie Brigade, what would you hope they experience while making it?
A12: I hope they enjoy making it and learning a technique or two, and then embracing the relaxing rhythm of working 1x1 rib and they are able to make it many times again for the family and as gifts for their loved one!
Q13: Is there a technique or approach you love that you wish more knitters felt confident trying?
A14: I think quite often people are dissuaded from learning various types of cast on and bind off after learning just one and using it most of the time. There are so many of them and each has its unique purpose and why we use them. They are able to transform our knits to look more polished and add that bit of finesse that make the whole project come together and look complete!
..................................
Beyond her individual designs, Olga has become known for a deeply thoughtful approach to knitwear that blends precision with creativity. Her work often explores structure, rhythm, and construction in a way that feels both intentional and intuitive. There is a quiet confidence in her patterns, nothing feels overworked, yet every detail has purpose.
The Roku hat pattern is a beautiful reflection of all of this. It takes something familiar, a classic ribbed hat, and elevates it through thoughtful construction and subtle details that make you look twice. It is the kind of pattern that becomes a staple, one you return to again and again, whether for yourself or as a gift.
And honestly, that is what makes Olga’s work so special. It is not just about creating something beautiful, it is about creating something lasting. Thank you for being a part of May's Beanie Brigade and can't wait to see you in June!
~
Olga's Socials