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AMERICAN FLAG HAT FOR PREEMIES AND NEWBORNS Copyright 2015 by Glenna Anderson Muse
Soft, light weight, American Flag hat sized for micro through large preemie, plus newborn. It's knitted in pink, light blue, and white in DK weight Cascade Ultra Pima Cotton yarn on size 5 straight needles, seamed up each side using mattress stitch. Decorated with pink and blue tassels. "Easy", techniques include casting on, binding off, knit and purl stitches, and easy colorwork with stripes. SIZES: (Micro Preemie, Med Preemie, Large Preemie, Newborn) FINISHEDMEASUREMENTS: (8, 10, 11, 12) inches in circumference ABBREVIATIONS: BO = Bind off CO = Cast on K = Knit P = Purl MATERIALS: 100 yds Cascade Ultra Pima Cotton DK weight yarn in "White' 100 yds Cascade Ultra Pima Cotton DK weight yarn in "China Pink" 100 yds Cascade Ultra Pima Cotton DK weight yarn in "Blueberry' Size 5(US) straight needles Optional: Size 7(US) straight needles blunt yarn needle GAUGE: 20 stitches x 26 rows = 4 inches PATTERN NOTES: Casting on and binding off using needles 2 sizes larger than those used to work the body of the hat will create a stretchier, more comfortable opening for baby's head. Also, the directions are spelled out row by row to aid beginning knitters in color changes.
DIRECTIONS:
With White yarn and larger needles, CO (22, 28, 30, 34) stitches Change to smaller (size 5) needles Rows 1 - 4: \*K1, P1\*, Repeat \* to \* across row. Change to Pink yarn. (Do not cut white yarn. Always carry unused color up side of Work.) Row 5: Knit all stitches. Row 6: Purl all stitches. Row 7: Knit all stitches. Row 8: Purl all stitches. Micro Preemie size skip ahead to Row 17 Change to White yarn. Row 9: Knit all stitches. Row 10: Purl all stitches. Row 11: Knit all stitches. Row 12: Purl all stitches. Change to Pink yarn. Row 13: Knit all stitches. Row 14: Purl all stitches. Row 15: Knit all stitches. Row 16: Purl all stitches. Change to White and Blue yarn. (Do not cut pink yarn. Carry unused yarns up side of work.) Row 17: With white: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17). Remember to cross yarn colors at each color change to keep work snuggly joined together. Row 18: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches. Row 19: With white: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17). Row 20: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches. Change to Pink and Blue yarn. Row 21: With pink: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17). Row 22: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches. Row 23: With pink: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17). Row 24: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches. Change to White and Blue yarn. Row 25: With white: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17). Row 26: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches. Row 27: With white: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17). Row 28: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches Micro Preemie size only, skip ahead to Row 61 Change to Pink and Blue yarn. Row 29: With pink: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17). Northern Ireland. I can just imagine how welcome a cozy cowl would have been to any Row 31: With pink: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17). Row 32: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches. Change to White and Blue yarn. Row 33: With white: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17). Row 34: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches. Row 35: With white: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17). Row 36: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches With blu:P(1,14, 15,17)with hit11, 14,157) Row 41: With white: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17). Row 42: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches. Row 43: With white: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17). Row 44: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches Medium Preemie size only, skip ahead to Row 61 Change to Pink and Blue yarn. Row 45: With pink: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17). Row 46: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches. Row 47: With pink: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17). Row 48: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches. Change to White and Blue yarn. Row 49: With white: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17). Row 50: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches. Row 51: With white: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17). Row 52: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches Large Preemie size only, skip ahead to Row 61 Change to Pink and Blue yarn. Row 53: With pink: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17). Row 54: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches. Row 55: With pink: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17). Row 56: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches. Change to White and Blue yarn. Row 57: With white: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17). Row 58: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches. Row 59: With white: K(11, 14, 15, 17), with blue: K(11, 14, 15, 17). Row 60: With blue: P(11, 14, 15, 17), with white: P(11, 14, 15, 17) stitches (All Sizes) Change to Pink yarn Row 61: Knit all stitches Row 62: Purl all stitches. Row 63: Knit all stitches Row 64: Purl all stitches. Change to White Yarn Row 65: Knit all stitches Row 66: \*P1, K1\*, Repeat \* to \* across row. Repeat Row 66 two times more. BO all stitches in pattern.
Finishing:
Using mattress stitch, sew up side seams. If unfamiliar, do an general internet, Pinterest, or YouTube search for "knitting mattress stitch" for instructions. This seam becomes invisible, allowing the stripes to flow beautifully together. Make and attach two tassels. Weave in all loose ends.
TO MAKE TASSELS:
Cut 2 pieces of yarn, approximately 8 inches each. Set aside. Wrap yarn around all four of your fingers 20 times.
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Icord felling:
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Cut through bottom loops, smooth threads, and lay tassel over second cut thread, approximately 1/4 inch from the top of the tassel.
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Tie securely into a knot. Trim ends. Attach to top corners of hat using the two threads at top of tassel.
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Weave in all loose ends. Thank you for using this pattern. If you have any questions, please contact me at Marie9949@sbcglobal.net. If you would like to be featured on my blog, please send pics of your hat or your little person wearing his or her new knitting.