Rainbow Crash
A hat pattern by Alyssa McFarland
Materials:
1 skein Noro Wadaiko [99 yards, 91 meters] 6.5 mm (size 10.5) dpns (set of 4) 6.5 mm (size 10.5) 16" circular needle Darning needle for weaving in ends This hat is knit from the top down because I wanted the colors to flow seamlessly to take advantage of the rainbow striping pattern of the yarn. Using boucle yarn also helped with the seemless effect, because you can't easily tell that I switched from stockinette to ribbing at the flap. The back flap helps keep the ears and back of the head warm. It reminds me a little of a helmet, and is named after the nickname of Rainbow Dash (from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic). If you want a tassel in the back to match with the yarn at the top, reserve some yarn at the beginning of the ball and set it aside for the tassel.
Sizing:
The hat should be about 20" in circumference, but stretchy. It fits my smallish adult head pretty well and also, loosely, the head of my 6 year old. If you'd like to make the hat smaller or larger, you can adjust the number of stitches you end up with in the increase section (something smaller or larger than the 60 sts I used), and/or knit fewer or more rounds in the body section, then adjust the numbers when you get to the flap.
Gauge:
e on a boucle yarn is something of a nightmare, but it's about 3 sts to the inch
Glossary:
Kfb = Knit the front of the stitch, then before sliding the stitch offthe left needle, knit into the back of it as well
Pattern:
If you wish, set aside some yarn from the beginning of the ball for the tassel in back. With 1 dpn, cast on 8 sts. I recommend the circular cast-on (here's a link to a helpful video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRHzIYEK7a8) so you can cinch the top up like a drawstring when you aredone. Spread the stitches across 3 dpns (one dpn will have 2 sts, the other two will have 3). Row 1: Knit 1 round. Row 2: Kfb, k3 (2x) (10 sts). Row 3: Knit 1 round. Row 4: Using Kfb, increase 2 sts so that each dpn has 4 sts on it (12 sts). Row 5-20: Increase 3 sts per round (1 st per needle), until you have 60 sts (20 sts per needle). Knit 1 round plain, while transferring sts to the circular needle.
Body:
Knit plain rounds until the hat measures 7" from the beginning to the end.
Flap:
Row 1: Cast off 24 sts. The remaining 36 sts will become the flap at the back of the hat. You will now knit back and forth instead of circularly. Knit the rest of the row as follows: P1, then repeat “k1, p1" for the rest of the row. Rows 2, 3, 4: K1, pl all the way across. Taper the flap as followes: Row 5: K2tog, then repeat k1, p1 till 2 sts remain, p2tog (34 sts). Row 6: K2tog, then repeat kl, p1 till 2 sts remain, p2tog (32 sts). Bind off in pattern.
Finishing:
Pull cast on tail tight to close up hole at top. Affix tassel to the back. Weave in ends with darning needle. Alyssa McFarland has been knitting since 2007 and loving every minute of it, except when the yarn is Too Small or the pattern is Too Boring. Catch me on Twitter @AlyMcF or on Ravelry as ésummerleaf.'
