Eyeball on Top of My Head Hat
I made this hat as an answer to a very serious problem! I am forever worried about alien spacecraft sneaking up behind me. Now, with the “Eye on Top of My Head" hat, I can keep an eye on the skies overhead! Or I can just embarrass my kids. Both are really awesome options for the use of this hat.
I have made several different versions of this hat, including the “dilated pupil", the “clear eye", and the red veined “hangover, or just tell them you're really tired" eye. This pattern also comes in three sizes, kid, adult, and bigger adult. This hat is very easy to make and it takes almost no yarn. I actually went rummaging through my yarn stash to find the materials to design it. If you are a nonconformist, and you just can't stand to make this hat the way Ihave, here a few suggestions for customization: ?Substitute any DK weight yarns that knit to gauge. My irises are blue (that's what I had in my stash), but yours don't have to be! Go green, brown, lavender, grey, even albino! Work any hat with or without veins any way you want. The circumference of the iris and pupil can be knitted any way you want. Just make sure the total number of rows is consistent with the pattern.
Eyeball on Top of My Head Pattern:
Skill Level:
Measurements:
Child: 16in. circumference (unstretched) $\tt x\,6.25$ in. Adult: 18in. circumference (unstretched) $\times\,7.25$ in. Larger Adult: 20in. circumference (unstretched) x 8.25 in.
Materials:
Iskein each white, black,iris color of your choice of Red Heart Sport(165yds/150m), $100\%$ Acrylic. Small amount of red yarn and a big needle (optional) DK weight. Size 3 16in. or 12 in. circular needles Size 3 DPNs
Gauge:
18 stitches x 25 rows $\underline{{\underline{{\mathbf{\delta\pi}}}}}$ 4 in. on size 3 needles
Stitch Glossary:
Ssk: slip next two stitches knitwise, then knit together. K2tg: knit the next two stitches together.
Notes:
· The yarn listed will produce 2 to 3 hats depending on the variations you choose. This hat is shallow on purpose to maintain a half-sphere shape, which is more “eyebally". If you want your hat to be deeper, add extra rows before you begin the decreases in the crown. The ribbed bottom on the hat may seem small, but stretches considerably! To add veins: Take a small amount of red yarn and a large needle and embroider veins loosely (to maintain the stretchiness of the hat). You don't need a pattern for the veins; make them as random as you want! Also, be careful not to carry red yarn behind white stitches...it will show! Backstitch to avoid this problem.
Pattern
Child size: 16 x 6.25 in. Cast on 80 stitches (l am a fan of the long tail method), in white. Join to work in the round, placing marker at join. Work 8 rds in K1, P1 rib. Work 14 rds in st. stitch. Change to iris color Work 8 rds in your chosen iris color. On the last row, prepare to decrease: (K16, pm) 4 times, K16. Decreases will be worked symmetrically on either side of markers. Begin Decreases: change to dpns when necessary Rd 1: (ssk, K12, P2tg) 5x Rd 2: and all even rows, work even Rd 3: (ssk, K10, K2tg) 5x Rd 5: (ssk, K8, K2tg) 5x Rd 7: (ssk, K6, K2tg) 5x Rd 9: (ssk, K4, K2tg) 5x Rd 11: (ssk, K2, K2tg) 5x Rd 13: (ssk, K2tg) 5x Rd 15: (K2tg) 5x There will be 5 stitches left after decreases are completed. Run attached yarn through remaining stitches and cinch them. Tie off and weave in all ends. Add veins if you wish.
Adult size: 18 x 7.25 in.
Cast on 90 stitches (l am a fan of the long tail method), in white. Join to work in the round, placing marker at join. Work 8 rds in K1, P1 rib. For Clear or Red Eye, 18 rds in st. stitch. For Dilated Eye, Work 12 rds in st. stitch. (instructions for Dilated Eye wil appear in parenthesis). Change to iris color. Work 4 rds in your chosen iris color. On the last row, prepare to decrease: (K18, pm) 4 times, K18. Decreases will be worked symmetrically on either side of markers. (Work 10 rds in iris color, on the last row, prepare to decrease: (K18, pm) 4 times, K18. Decreases will be worked symmetrically on either side of markers.) Begin Decreases: change to dpns when necessary Rd 1: (ssk, K14, P2tg) 5x Rd 2: and all even rows, work even Rd 3: (ssk, K12, K2tg) 5x Rd 5: (ssk, K10, K2tg) 5x Rd 7: (ssk, K8, K2tg) 5x Rd 8: Change to black, work even Rd 9: (ssk, K6, K2tg) 5x Rd 11: (ssk, K4, K2tg) 5x Rd 13: (ssk, K2, K2tg) 5x Rd 15: (ssk, K2tg) 5x Rd 17: (K2tg) 5x There will be 5 stitches left after decreases are completed. Run attached yarn through remaining stitches and cinch them. Tie off and weave in all ends. Add veins if you wish.
Bigger adult size: $20\times8.25$ in.
Cast on 100 stitches (l am a fan of the long tail method), in white. Join to work in the round, placing marker atjoin. Work 8 rds in K1, P1 rib. Work 20 rds in st. stitch. Change to iris color. Work 5 rds in your chosen iris color. On the 5th rd, prepare to decrease: (K20, pm) 4 times, K20. Decreases will be worked symmetrically on either side of markers. Begin Decreases: change to dpns when necessary Rd 1: (ssk, K16, P2tg) 5x Rd 2: and all even rows, work even Rd 3: (ssk, K14, K2tg) 5x Rd 5: (ssk, K12, K2tg) 5x Rd 7: (ssk, K10, K2tg) 5x Rd 9: (ssk, K8, K2tg) 5x Rd 10: Change to black, work even Rd 11: (ssk, K6, K2tg) 5x Rd 13: (ssk, K4, K2tg) 5x
Rd 15: (ssk, K2, K2tg) 5x Rd 17: (ssk, K2tg) 5x Rd 19: (K2tg) 5x
There will be 5 stitches left after decreases are completed. Run attached yarn through remaining stitches and cinch them. Tie off and weave in all ends. Add veins if you wish.
