Magic Hat - Oma Rapiti Handmade
Debbie Parsons debbyrom@hotmail.com www.facebook.com/omarapetinz About the Magic Hat - Magic- that's a big call for a hat isn't it?? Well thanks to the generous ribbed band that can be folded up or worn down and the stretchy, spongy, lacy openwork rib, the 1-2 year size version fits both me and my 8 month old - that's pretty magic! I love making presents for new babies but it's always a bit stressful wondering whether your gift is going to fit or not - who knows whether bubs is going to have a tiny little noggin or a massive bowling ball (ouch!) and if they have to grow into then the seasons change and no one (at least in our sunny climes) needs a woolly hat on a 3 month old in the middle of summer. So the good news is that these sizes will fit generously above and below the sizes given.
This pattern is VERY easy - it's so easy that even l, a dyed in the wool crocheter and glacially slow knitter - managed to design it. A little story about how this hat came into being - once upon a time an old friend of mine who lives at the other end of the country had a gorgeous baby boy. In his first picture he was wearing the most gorgeous green hat and (l'm sure other yarnifiles will understand) I commented on it, asking after the pattern seeing I was also pregnant at the time. It turned out the hat was his first hat from the hospital so she didn't have a pattern and I have to say that I was a bit gutted - I had been looking for something that would be soft and stretchy and not too thich and chunky to make for my bubs's going home outfit When my bubba was born a couple of months later a little parcel arrived in the post with the little greenhat! Months later, my bubs had grown like a weed and l held his first outfit in my hands and remembered back to when he was brand new and impossibly tiny and perfect and then I really realised what a big deal it was to give a friend your baby's first hat. When her little man was turning one T secretly tried to replicate the little green hat so that she could walk out to her letter box and get a little surprise parcel with not only her baby's first hat but also a new and bigger version. I hope that in years to come she can hold it in her hands and bring back some amazing memories.
Yarn - DK or other yarn - just adjust your gauge. I used Skeinz.com Urban DK in Hula Hoop Purple Needles - 5.0 mm or as required for your gauge. This project is knitted in the round so you'll need circularsorDPNs
Stitches
Yo-yarnover needle K2Tog - knit two stitches together (a decrease) P2Tog - purl two stitches togather (a decrease) PSSO - Slip first stitch onto RH needle knitwise, knit second stitch, pass first stitch over the second stitch and drop off the needle (a decrease) Gauge - 18 stitches in K2, P2 stretched slightly =10cm Sizes
| Age | To fit | Cast on | Length of ribbing | Length (from cast on) beforecrowndecrease | |||
| Prem | 30-35cm | 12-14" | 64 | 2.5cm | 1" | 14cm | 5.5" |
| Newborn | 35-40cm | 14-16" | 72 | 2.5cm | 1" | 15cm | 6" |
| 4-12m | 40-45cm | 16-17.5" | 80 | 4cm | 1.5" | 16.5cm | 6.5" |
| 1-2yrs | 45-50cm | 17.5-20" | 88 | 5cm | 2" | 18cm | 7" |
| Child | 50-55cm | 20-22" | 96 | 5cm | 2" | 19cm | 7.5" |
| Adult | 55cm+ | 22"+ | 104 | 5cm | 2" | 20cm | 8" |
Directions
Cast on for the number of stitches as directed above using the long tail cast-on method. Join, being careful not to twist Ribbing \*K2, P2\* repeat until ribbing measures as per above then begin openwork rib Openwork rib - work until total length of hat from cast on measures as above then start crown decrease Row 1 - \*YO, K2Tog, P2\* Repeat Row 2 - \*K2, P2\* Repeat Row 3 - \*PSSO, YO, P2\* Repeat Row 4 - \*K2, P2\* Repeat
Crown Decrease
Row 1 - \*K2Tog, P2, YO, k2Tog, P2\* Repeat Row 2 - \*K1, P2Tog, K2, P2\* Repeat Row 3 - \*K1, P1, PSSO, P2\* Repeat Row 4 - \*K1, P1, K1, P2Tog\* Repeat Row 5 - \*K1, P1, K2Tog\* Repeat Row 6 - \*K1, PSSO\* Repeat Row 7 - \*K2Tog\* Repeat. Cut yarn and pass through remaining loops, sew in tails and enjoy!
