I originally knit my son a hat for Christmas that had moose on it. Unfortunately I botched the Fair Isle and it was too tight. The first of January I cast on for a new hat, a better hat, a hat with moose! I decided that it should have two colors: blue to represent sky and water, and green for reeds and grass. I further decided that since he'd rather pull off his hat than wear it that'd I'd incorporate earflaps and ties to keep it on his head. I scrolled through hundreds of hats on ravelry and though I found some I liked, none were perfect. So, I made my own. I never did end up putting a moose on it,he needed to wear it before I could fully finish all the details, but it looked cute enough. The hat is knit starting with the icord ties. After knitting several inches of icord increases will form the earflap. Using the backwards loop method (because it has more give to it) you will cast on for the main body of the hat. Then the hat is joined in the round. The Fair Isle is minimal and would be a good place to start for a first timer. There are only five rows where both yarns are carried. When choosing a size to knit remember that the hat is stretchy and tall. The hat on a newborn will be a little big, but on a 6 month it will fit just right with little wiggle room. I designed the hat to be a little big so that it will fit for more than one season. The blue and green hat is seen on my son who is 18 months and a little girl at daycare who is 4 (l also put it on a 7 year old and it fit, but just barely).
Notions:
70 yards of Main Color (MC) in worsted weight 25 yards of Contrasting Color (CC) in worsted weight. Size 8 (5mm) 16" circular knitting needles Size 8 (5mm) Double Pointed Needles (dpn) Needle (for weaving in ends) Stitch markers, the type that can be attached to the knitted item. Stitch holder (or waste yarn) Gauge: 16st x 28rows = 4" (10cm) In Stockinette Stitch (be sure to check gauge)
Sizing:
Sizes to fit: Newborn-6months (12- 14"/30.5-35.5cm),6months-18months (14-16"/35.5-40.6cm), 18months-4T (16- 18"/40.6-45.7cm) Circumference when finished: newborn 6months (12"/30.5cm), 6months 18months (14"/35.5cm), 18months-4T (16"/40.6cm) Sizes in the pattern will read small(medium, large)
Skills Needed
Knitting in the round, knitting with two colors, increasing, casting on in the middle of a project, chart reading, decreasing, and knitting an icord.
Fair Isle Knitting
Fair Isle Knitting or Stranded Colorwork is a technique usually used while knitting-in-the-round that uses two or more colors at a time. The working strand is knit and the non-working yarn is carried behind the work. This leaves strands from one color to another. It is important to keep an even tension when switching colors. It may be helpful to stretch the work when switching colors after a long span of not changing (three or more stitches). There is a chart to assist with the Fair Isle portion. You can find the chart alongside the instructions. When knitting-in-the-round each row of the chart is read right to left. Repeat the row of the chart until the end of the round. Then move on to the next row. For help refer to www.KnittingHelp.com's video: http://www.knittinghelp.com/video/play/fair-isle-color-knitting.
To knit the icord:
Knit the 3 stitches. Then, without turning, slide the stitches down to the end of the needle, back the way they came. Then knit them again. There will be a short piece of yarn across your stitches, but it won't be visible once it is finished. Knitting this way creates a tight tube. Check out www.knittinghelp.com's video for more help. http://www.knittinghelp.com/video/play/i-cord-english
Abbreviations
\*\* : the instructions between the asterisk are to be repeated to the end of the row CC : Contrasting Color dpn : double pointed needle k2tog : knit 2 together - knit the next two stitches as one stitch k : knit kfb : knit front and back - knit the stitch and then without taking the stitch off the right hand needle knit the back of the same stitch. Check out www.knittinghelp.com's video for further help: http://www.knittinghelp.com/video/play/bar-increase-english MC : Main Color
Gnome Knot Hat
First Earflap
You will be starting with the icord for the first earflap, and then increasing your stitches for the body of the earflap. Next you will cut your yarn and make a second. After making the earflaps you willthen cast on between each earflap (cast on, knit, cast on, knit, and finally join in the round). With MC cast on 3 stitches on to a dpn (double pointed needles) and work in i-cord for 8.5" (21.5cm). (see end notes on how to knit icord) Row 1: knit (this is now your wrong side (ws) mark the wrong side with a piece of yarn or stitch me Row 2: knit Row 3: kfb, k1, kfb (5) Row 4: knit Row 5: k1, kfb, k1, kfb, k1 (7) Row 6: knit Row 7: k1, kfb, k3, kfb, k1 (9) Row 8: knit Row 9: k1, kfb, k5, kfb, k1 (11) Row 10: knit Row 11: k1, kfb, k7, kfb, k1 (13) Small Size -jump ahead to Row 14 Row 12: knit Row 13: (larger two sizes only): k1, kfb, k9, kfb, k1 (15) Row 14-17 (all three sizes): knit Cut 6 inch tail and transfer the stitches to a stitch holder or piece of waste yarn.
Second Earflap
With MC cast on 3 stitches on to a dpn (double pointed needles) and work in i-cord for 8.5" (21.5cm). (see end notes on how to knit icord) Repeat Rows 1-17 (omitting 12 & 13 for the smallest size) but do not cut yarn.
Body of Hat
You will be knitting across the earflaps and after knitting across an earflap you will cast on stitches: knit across earflap #2, cast on, knit across earflap #1 cast on. When joining in the round purl, do not knit. Photos of casting on and the join can be located in the End Notes section. (right side) Row 18 [of earflap 2]: knit across earflap #2, at the end of the ear flap loosely cast on using backwards loop method 12 (15, 20) stitches for the front of the hat. Transfer first earflap to a knitting needle making sure that the right side is facing you when you knit. Knit across the earflap and then loosely cast on 10 (11, 14) stitches. Round 1: Purl to join in round (make sure to mark the beginning). [48 (56, 64) stitches on needles] Round 2: knit Round 3: purl Round 4:knit Round5: purl Round 6-8:knit
Fair Isle:
FortheFairIsleandDecreasingsectionsall instructionswithintheasterisksshouldbe repeateduntiltheendoftheroundorfollowthe chart found to theright of thewritten instructions (chartstarts areRound9 and endsatRound 22). Round 9: \*k1 CC, k3 MC\* Round 10: \*k1 MC, k1 CC, k1 MC, k1 CC\* Round 11: \*k2 MC, k1 CC, k1 MC\* Round 12: knit all stitches with MC Round 13-19: knit all stiches with CC Round 20: \*k1 MC, k3 CC\* Round 21: \*k2 MC, k1 CC, k1 MC\* Round 22: knit all stitches with MC Continue knitting in MC until hat measures 4"/10.1cm (4.5"/11.5cm, 5.25"/14cm) from edge of the main body of the hat Decrease for the Crown: (Please note that Round 11 is off set intentionally) Round 1: \*k6, k2tog\* [42 (49, 56)] Round 2, 4, 6, 8: knit Round 3: \*k5, k2tog\* [36, (42, 48)] Round 5: \*k4, k2tog\* [30, (35, 40)] Round 7: \*k3, k2tog\* [24, (28, 32)] Round 9: \*k2, k2tog\* [18, (21, 24)] Round 10: knit Round 11:\* k2tog, k1\* [6, (7, 16)] Small and Medium Size Jump to Top Knot Round 12: knit Round 13: \*k2tog\* (8) Top Knot: Knit 4 Rounds Cut 6 inch tail. Thread yarn on yarn needle and thread through remaining stitches, pull tight. Finishing: Weave in ends. Make sure that the tail off the first earflap is pulled tight to the edge neat.
End Notes:
Casting on Between the Flaps
You will start with two earflaps. The blue flap has already been knit across (Row 18 of earflap section) and has had stitches cast on. The pink flap is waiting to be knit across. The next step is to knit across the pink flap and then cast on the final stitches. Once all your stitches are on one needle you will join in the round by purling, this is very important. If you should accidentally knit this first row, it will still be adorable, but it won't look like the pattern.
Gnome Knot and Moose with Duplicate Stitch Motif:
I did eventually go back and add that moose. However, I did not like how it decreased the stretch of the hat. You may choose to add the moose or another motif if you want. I found the moose on www.ravelry.com. The designer, Laurak Nelson, has agreed to allow me to add a link to her moose chart. I positioned it on the hat where I thought it might look nice and started with the feet. If you choose to add a motif it will decrease the amount of stretch in the hat and may not fit as wide a varietyofheadshapes. You can find the moose at this address: http://undoneknitting.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/moose-chart.pdf
