Animal Cracker Hat
Skill level: Intermediate Techniques: stranded colorwork; provisional cast-on; backwards loop or "e'’ cast-on; k2tog; ssk; slip 2, k1, psso.
Sizes: medium - to fit 20-22"; large - to fit 22-24' Materials: Gauge in stockinette - 2.85st/inch 2 oz. Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky in Turkish Olive (MC) 1 oz. Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky in Bulldog Blue 1/2 oz. each Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky in Sunburst Gold, Creme, and Red Baron. 1 set US#9/5.5mm double pointed needles 1 set US#11/8mm double pointed needles scrap yarn a stitch marker a yarn needle a crochet hook Make sure to strand evenly and loosely enough so the hat stretches easily. If the stranding is worked too tightly, the hat will not stay on when worn. Size can be tweaked by adjusting the gauge. sll: slip one stitch purlwise. ssk: a left leaning decrease - slip one stitch knitwise, slip another stitch knitwise, then knit the two together. k2tog: a right leaning decrease - knit two stitches together. sl2, k1, psso: a centered double decrease - slip two stitches together as if to knit; knit the next stith; pass the slipped stitches over the knit stitch.
Ear flaps: Make 2.
Using two US#9/5.5mm needles, MC, and scrap yarn, provisionally cast on 9st. row 1-14) work in garter stitch, slipping the first stitch of every row after the first row. r15) sl1, ssk, k3, k2tog, k1 r16-18) work 3r in garter stitch, continuing to slip the first stitch of every row. r19) sl1, ssk, k1, k2tog, k r20) sl11, (sl2, k1, psso), k1 r21) (sl2, k1, psso) bring yarn end through loop and secure.
Crown:
Using the US#9/5.5mm needles and MC, pick up and knit across the purl side of one of the ear flaps 2007 Dale Hwang. Patern is free for personal use. Please do not copy or manufacture for sale. (9st). Then backwards loop cast on (20) (24) stitches (this is the front edge of the hat). Pick up and knit across the purl side of the other ear flap (9st). Then backwards loop cast on (10) (14) stitches. Total stitches: (48) (56). Join in the round, place marker, and change to larger needles. Work 4 rows in MC in stockinette. Begin chart at row 5 with (stitch 8) (stitch 2). Note: Because of color dominance in stranded knitting, which is caused by the layering of the floats behind the stitches, the pattern will look cleanest if the colors are stranded in a deliberate relationship to one another. In the case of working both colors from the same hand, either right or left, the color which is stranded in front of the other and closer to the fabric, sometimes considered the color held closer to the needle, willbe dominant and appear foregrounded. Use caution as twisting can cause this relationship to change from stitch to stitch, which will muddy the pattern. In two-handed colorwork, the dominant color is the one held in the left hand. The suggested dominant color per row: r8-9 blue; r10-11 red; r12-14 creme; r15-16 gold; r17 gold, and then blue; r18-19 blue. Finish by threading yarn through the remaining 7 stitches, and pulling closed. Weave in all ends, making sure to leave the piece flexible enough to stretch. For the tassels, hold together one strand from every color and cut two 26 inch long bundles and one 24 inch. Take one 26 inch long bundle, fold it in half, and pull the loop through the tip of one ear flap using the crochet hook. Pull the loop from the front of the earflap to the back, and then pass the ends of the bundle through the loop in a girth hitch. Repeat for the other earflap. Then take the slightly shorter bundle and repeat at the top of the hat, threading the loop through the last row at the top of the crown. Very loosely braid each bundle and then tie an overhand knot approximately two inches from the end. Wash and block.
2007 Dale Hwang. Patern is free for personal use. Please do not copy or manufacture for sale.
