Cute as a bug
Julia Weiss
SIZE:
Toddler 1-3 years (head circumfence about 45-55 cm/17-21.5 inch)
MATERIALS:
Yarn: Lana Grossa Bingo (2 colours) 10ply, 80m (88 yards)/50g, gauge: 16 sts in stockinette = 10cm/4 inch MC: 100g (actually about 80g) CC:50g ... or any similar aran weight yarn. For the stripes on the antlers novelty yarns would also look sweet. Needles: 4mm (long circular needle for the magic loop methode and dpns for icord) 2 stitch markers or safety pins scrap yarn or other means to put stitches on hold BASE PATTERN: k,p (RS), p,k (WS) Gauge in pattern: 25 sts=10cm/4 inch
iCORD:
Knit specified stitches (2 for the earflaps, 6 for the antlers). Do not turn, slide stitches to the other end of needle and knit them as if nothing happened. This way you should get a seamlessly knit tube. Continue until desired or specified length.
Earflaps:
CO 2 sts with MC on dpns. Knit icord for 18cm (7 inch), then continue with earflap as follows: row 1 (RS): kbfx2 (4sts) row 2 (WS): k1, p1, m1, p1, k1 (5sts) row 3: k1, m1, k1, p1, k1, m1, k1 (7sts) row 4: k1, (k1, p1)x2, k2 row 5: k1, m1, (p1, k1) x2, p1, m1, k1 (9sts) row 6: (k1, p1) x3, k1 row 7: k1, m1, (k1, p1)x3, k1, m1, k1 (11sts) row 8: k2, (p1, k1)x4, k1 row 9: k1, m1, (p1, k1)x4, p1, m1, k1 (13sts) row 10: k1, (p1, k1)x6 row 11: k2, (p1. k1)x5, k1 row 12: as row 10 row 13: as row 11 row 14: as row 10 row 15: k1, m1, (k1, p1)x5, k1, m1 k1 (15sts) row 16: k2, (p1, k1)x6, k1 Break yarn, put sts on hold, knit 2nd earflap.
Hat:
After row 16 of 2nd earflap, do not break yarn. Transfer all stitches of earflap 1 and earflap 2 to a long circular needle. Using a knitted cast on and the thread coming from the 2nd earflap, CO 39 sts. Knit the stitches from 1st earflap according to established pattern, CO 21 sts and join in round, using the magic loop method. You should have 9o sts in all.
Knit 41 rnds (15cm/6 inch) in established base pattern (k,p).
Set up for grafting:
Find the front central stitch by counting 19 stitches from each earflap towards the middle. Mark this stitch. Now count 22 stitches to the left and right of this stitch (not including it). Mark the spot on both sides with stitch markers or safety pins. The antlers are knit on both sides over 6 stitches, three before and three after the marked spot. The other stitches are grafted together to form the top of the hat. Next Round: knit in pattern to 3 sts after 1st marker. Break yarn. Put 6 sts on each side (3 before and 3 after each marker) on hold.
Modified kitchener stitch:
Grafting in ribbing looks messy most of the time. The technique used here is stolen from www.tricksyknitter.com. First, put all k stitches on one needle and all p stitches on another. Do this on both sides of the hat. The needles containing the k stitches both have to be on the outside for this to work. Now thread a darning needle and graft only the k stitches together, ignoring the p needles, who will be enclosed inside hat. When done, turn the hat inside out. The p stitches on the two remaining needles now look like k stitches. Graft them together as if nothing happened. This seam is invisible but not elastic like the ribbing, so don't pull the threat too tight
Antlers:
Knit as icord over 6 sts, alternating MC and CC in rows of 4. Start with MC, tie yarn below the last stitch on the needle, leaving a tail of about 20cm/8inch (use this tail after completing the antler to sew shut the hole at the base).
k 4 rows of icord change to CC, take care to carry the unused colour inside the icord, or it will show on the outside. k 4 rows of icord -> continue in this manner until you have 9 portions of CC. Cut yarn and draw through remaining sts. Knit 2nd antler. Tie knots in antlers. DONE.
Abbreviations:
kknit Ppurl m1 make one (pick up a stitch from the space between two stitches) kbf knit-back-front (knit 2 stitches out of one stitch) MC main colour CC contrastcolour CO castoff pm put marker rnd round This pattern is for private use only. Please do not distribute or resell without written consent of the designer. www.knotart.wordpress.com Pattern by Julia Weiss/tryphina 2011
