Easy, quick & stylish - this hat will keep your head & ears warm on those cold winter days! The short row brim in garter stitch is not only fun to knit but also practical to wear. The main part is worked in stockinette stitch and is great to let a special yarn or your favorite color shine - I fell in love with this minty semisolid called water green! The hat is finished with an easy, fast and fun pom-pom! Please feel free to play with colors: Use one color for the whole hat, two colors (one for the brim and pom-pom, one for the body) as per pattern, you can use a crazy skein of handspun goodness or use up all your leftovers and make a fun and stripy hat! In short: have fun and make it your own!
| Yarn: 2 colors of Aran weightyarn Yardage: Color A: 69 (70, 75) m / 76 (77, 83) yards (incl. 40 m / 44 yards for pom-pom) Color B: 53 (70, 91) m / 58 (77, 100) yards Total: 122 (140, 166) m / 134 (154, 183) yards Shown in: MalabrigoMerinoWorsted inwater GreenandPigeon(twoskeinsareenough for three medium sized hats!) Gauge: 15sts/22rows=10cm/4"instockinettestitch Size: small (medium, large) for a head circumference of about 51 (56, 61) cm / 20 (22, 24)"- as the hat is designed with a loose fit, you might want to go with the smaller size if you're inbetween. Needles: US 10/6 mm (or size needed to obtain gauge) circular needles or DPNs Notions: length of sturdy yarn (eg. cotton or nylon-blend), scissors |
Note on short rows: I picked up this technique from Stephen West, and it's by far the easiest and fasted I've found and it's great for garter stitch. He calls them short-cut short rows. When the instructions say turn, simply turn work and work back, no wrapping required. when the instructions say close short-row gap, you knit to the last turn (the short-row gap should be clearly visible), then with your left needle, pick up the garter bump on the front of the last stitch you've knit and k2tog with the next stitch.
[SECTION 1: Short Row Brim]
With color A, CO 72 (78, 84) sts, PM and close to knit in the round R1: p all sts R2: k to end of round R3: p all sts R4: k to last 3 sts before the end of the round, turn to work ws R5 (ws): k to last 3 sts before the end of the round, turn to work RS R6: k to 6 sts before last turn, turn Repeat last row 8 (10, 10) times more. The next tow rows are only for size S & L: Next Row: to 4 sts before last turn, turn Repeat last row once more. For all sizes again: Next Row (ws): k to M, closing short-row gaps as you come to them, remove M, w&t, replace M Next Row (Rs): k to end of round, closing short-row gaps as you come to them Then repeat R1-3 once more. Break color A.
[SECTION 2: Body]
R1: with color B, k all sts Repeat last round until you have about 15 cm / 6" from CO (at longest point at center of round) for a fitted hat, about 17 cm / 6.5" for a slightly slouchy hat or about 20 cm / 7.75" for a slouchy hat (the pictured hats are medium-sized on a 57 cm head and knit to 17 cm / 6.5" before decreases).
[SECTION 3: Crown Decreases]
R1: [k10 (11, 12), k2tog, PM] six times R2: k all sts R3: (k to 2 sts before M, k2tog) six times R4: k all sts Repeat last two rounds until you have 48 (54, 60) sts or 8 (9, 10) sts between markers The last set of decreases is worked in garter stitch: Next Round: (p to two sts before M, p2tog) six times Next Round: (k to 2 sts before M, k2tog) six times Repeat last two rounds until you have 6 sts lefft. Break yarn and pull tail through remaining stitches.
[POM-POM]
You can use whatever method for making pom-poms you prefer. I just wrap the yarn (color A) around a glass (or use your fingers or whatever object you have handy). In this case my glass hat about a 7 cm / 2.75" diameter. 40 m / 44 Yards of yarn are enough (and after making 3 hats that's what I had left for each pom-pom), but you can use more for a fuller pom-pom. If you use a larger diameter you'll also need more yarn. Then, I slide the yarn off the glass and tie a length of sturdy yarn around the center (so it looks like a bow). Don't use a soft singly ply or it will break. Then I cut the loops in half and trim until I have a round, full and fluffy pom-pom. Shake it in-between to get rid of fluff and to shake it into shape. Finished!
[FINISHING]
Weave in all ends and block gently (if necessary). Sew pom-pom to the top of the hat.
[Abbreviations]
Co.... cast on DPN ... double pointed needle(s) .... k ni. k2tog .. knit 2 stitches together M...stitch marker p. .... purl p2tog .purl 2 stitches together PM ... place marker R.... row or round R...ight side. SM...slip marker st/sts....stitch/stitches w&t...wrap and turn: slip next stitch purlwise, bring the yarn to the front, replace slipped stitch back onto the leff needle, turn the work & work back in other direction ws.... wrong side
