Channel your inner Clash hipster, or just stay warm with this superbulky, adjustable hat. The button band is knit flat in textured linen stitch, making the most of a variegated yarn and a cozy covering for your ears. Then the hat is joined and knit in the round to the crown and closed with two buttons, for a fast finished knit that looks great in both multi- and classic colors. echniques & Skills Used: knit/purl, decreasing, knitting in the round Size: Small (Large); 21 (24)" finished circumference. Yarn: Malabrigo Rasta (100% merino wool; 90 yards/150g); 1 skein. Size S shown in Zarzamora; London Calling requires approximately 65 (70) yards of superbulky yarn. Other Materials: US 15 40" circular needle for Magic Loop, or size to match gauge; US 15 straight needle, to overlap band; Stitch markers (6); Yarn needle or 6.5mm crochet hook; 7/8" buttons (2); Matching sewing thread and needle. Gauge: 8 st and 14 rows/4" in stockinette stitch; 8 st and 20 rows/4" in linen stitch.
Designer's Notes:
The linen stitch used for the band is a bit less stretchy than the stockinette stitch; adjust the sizing as needed when sewing on the functional buttons. The button band is approximately 2.5" wide, with an additional 6 (7)" of hat above it. The depth of the crown produces a beanie-style hat; for a slouchier fit, knit more rounds before beginning the crown decreases.
Stitches & Abbreviations:
K: knit. K2tog: knit 2 together - knit the next 2 st together as one. P: purl. P2tog: purl 2 together - insert needle into the fronts of next 2 st and purl them together as one. pm: place marker. sl1 wyb: slip next st purlwise with working yarn in back. sl1 wyf: slip next st purlwise with working yarn in front. st: stitch(es). YO: yarn over.
Pattern:
CO 49 (55) st using longtail method. ButtonBand: Row 1 (WS): K1, P1, [sl1wyb, P1] to last st, K1. Row 2 (RS): K1, [sl1wyf, K1] to end of row. Row 3 (make buttonhole): K1, P1, YO, P2tog, [sl1wyb, P1] to last st, K1. Row 4: repeat Row 2. Rows 5-8: repeat Rows 1&2, twice. Row 9 (make buttonhole): repeat Row 3. Row 10: repeat Row 2. Row 11: repeat Row 1. Row 12 (Overlap band and join to knit in the round): Hold button band in a circle, with RS facing out and buttonhole end on the right. Slip first 7 stitches on right working needle to spare size 15 needle. Holding the spare needle in front of and parallel to the left working needle, place marker for end of round and insert right working needle into first stitch on spare needle and first stitch on left working needle behind it, and knit them together as one. Repeat for next 6 st, then knit to end of round. 42 (48) st. Hat body: Knit 10 (12) rounds. CrownDecreases: Set up Round: [K5 (6), K2tog, pm] to end of round. 36 (42) st. Next Round: knit. Decrease Round 1: [knit to 2 st before marker, K2tog] to end of round. 30 (36) st. Decrease Round 2: knit. Work Decrease Rounds 1&2, 1 (2) more times. 24 st. Then work Decrease Round 1, twice more. 12 st. Next Round: [K2tog] to end of round, removing all but end of round marker. 6 st. Next Round: [K2tog] to end of round. 3 st. Finishing: Cut yarn leaving 6" tail, and pull tail through 3 remaining st. Weave in ends and block. Try the hat on and mark button placement for a comfortably fitting band. With matching sewing thread and needle, sew buttons as marked and button the band to fit. Slip the 7 st above the buttonholes to the spare needle. The hat also looks great worn with thereversestockinette side facing out. To reverse the buttons so that the hat can be worn with the WS to the outside, hold thespareneedlebehind theleft working needle when you knit the stitches together. I use a 6.5mm crochet hook to weave in the ends of this superbulky yarn.
... Last Look
About the Designer
Jennifer Dassau is a recovering attorney and emigree from Seventh Avenue, who likes writing patterns as much as she likes knitting them. Find her in The Knitting Vortex at www.jenniferdassau.com.
