"Soft-Serve'
This delicious swirl of a baby hat whips up in no time. Uses King Color Baby Australian Merino, around 1/2 skein ${\sim}100$ yds) or you can use a similar fingering weight yarn, even cashmere! Directions for 2 sizes: 0-3 months (3-6 months see bottom of instructions). Gauge: 7 stitches per inch over stockinette, pre-blocking Suggested Needles: US #3 ( $2.75\;\mathrm{mm})$ circulars, double-pointed needles Other Notions: stitch markers (7), yarn needle, measuring tape or gauge-finder Pattern Stitch: Seed Stitch. kl, pl, kl, pl - repeat for first round. Following round will be pl, kl, pl, kl, - repeat for second round. Repeat both rounds.
For 0-3 months:
Before you begin: Knit a swatch in the round and check to make sure your gauge is 7 sts per inch in stockinette (knit each row). Adjust needle size if necessary Preparation: Cast on 73 sts. Connect in round on circular needles, taking care not to twist the join. Place markers at start ofround and after every 12 stitches, leaving 1 stitch between final and first marker. This “odd stitch allows the pattern stitch to be knit correctly in the round. Body of hat: Work in pattern stitch for 14 rounds Note that each stitch willbe knit or purled in alternate rounds creating the “seed"” pattern.) First decreasing round: Knit (knit stitch only) until $2^{\mathrm{nd}}$ stitch before next marker, then K2tog ( $11^{\mathrm{th}}$ and $12^{\mathrm{th}}$ stitches). Repeat 5 more times to decrease to 67 sts. Knit 1 stitch between final and first marker to complete row. Knit 4 more rounds. Work in pattern stitch for 10 rounds. Second decreasing round: Knit until $2^{\mathrm{nd}}$ stitch before marker, then K2tog ( $10^{\mathrm{th}}$ and $11^{\mathrm{th}}$ stitches). Repeat 5 more times to decrease to 61 sts. Knit 1 stitch between final and first marker to complete row. Knit 4 more rounds. Work pattern stitch for 10 rounds. Third decreasing round: Knit until $2^{\mathrm{nd}}$ stitch before marker, then K2tog $9^{\mathrm{th}}$ and $10^{\mathrm{th}}$ stitches). Repeat 5 more times to decrease to 55 sts. Knit 1 stitch between final and first marker to complete row. Knit 4 more rounds. Work pattern stitch for 8 rounds. Fourth decreasing round: Knit until $2^{\mathrm{nd}}$ stitch before marker, then K2tog ( $8^{\mathrm{th}}$ and $9^{\mathrm{th}}$ stitches). Repeat 5 more times to 49 sts. Knit 1 stitch between final and first marker to complete row. Knit 4 more rounds. Work pattern stitch for 8 rounds. Switch to double-pointed needles. Fifth decreasing round: Knit until $2^{\mathrm{nd}}$ stitch before marker, then K2tog $7^{\mathrm{th}}$ and $8^{\mathrm{th}}$ stitches). Repeat 5 more times to decrease to 43 sts. Knit 1 stitch between final and first marker to complete row. Knit 3 more rounds. Then work the sixth decreasing round - knit until $2^{\mathrm{nd}}$ stitch before marker, then K2tog $6^{\mathrm{th}}$ and $7^{\mathrm{th}}$ stitches), repeating 5 times to decrease to 37 sts. Work patern stitch for 6 rounds,
Decreasing for crown:
Knit until $2^{\mathrm{nd}}$ stitch before marker, then K2tog ( $5^{\mathrm{th}}$ and $6^{\mathrm{th}}$ sts). Repeat 5 times. (31 sts) Knit one round. Knit until $2^{\mathrm{nd}}$ stitch before marker, then K2tog $\mathrm{^{4^{th}}}$ and $5^{\mathrm{th}}$ sts). Repeat 5 times. (25 sts) Knit one round. Knit until $2^{\mathrm{nd}}$ stitch before marker, then K2tog ( $3^{\mathrm{rd}}$ and $4^{\mathrm{th}}$ sts). Repeat 5 times. (19 sts) Knit one round. Knit until $2^{\mathrm{nd}}$ stitch before marker, then K2tog ( $2^{\mathrm{nd}}$ and $3^{\mathrm{rd}}$ sts). Repeat 5 times. (13 sts) Knit one round. K2tog all the way around ( $1^{\mathrm{st}}$ and $2^{\mathrm{nd}}$ sts). Repeat 5 times. (7 sts) Knit one round. K2tog all the way around, leaving 4 sts.
Create curlicue:
Knit one row, and without turning work, slip the stitches up the needle and pull yarn around to knit another row. Repeat 12 times. This will create a long “I-cord'. Cut yarn leaving a 6-inch tail. Thread tail into yarn needle, and pull cord down through top of cap to create curlicue. Secure and weave in end of yarn, trim. Secure and weave in cast-on tail. Hand wash and shape to dry, pulling out the bubble sections to make them puffier.
For 3-6 Months:
Before you begin: Knit a swatch in the round and check to make sure your gauge is 7 sts per inch in stockinette (knit each row). Adjust needle size if necessary. Preparation: Cast on 79 sts and join, taking care not to twist sts, place markers after every $13^{\mathrm{th}}$ stitch, leaving 1 stitch between first and last marker. Work one 14 rounds of pattern stitch and one decreasing round (K2tog $12^{\mathrm{th}}$ and $13^{\mathrm{th}}$ stitch to derease to 73 sts), then knit 4 rounds straight. From this point, follow directions for 0-3 months starting at “Body of hat"' section.
