The name of the pattern is because of the colour - my Grandad was a gamekeeper until he gave it up last year at the age of 89, I made him a jumper from some dark green wool which is his favourite colour and this hat was made from the leftovers with some lighter green and brown 4 ply to bulk it out a bit. Using the three yarns together makes the fabric quite dense and the hat has a fairly deep folded brim because I hate having cold ears and like to have a doubly thick bit to cover them up - nice and warm for wearing down the woods and good colours for blending into trees and not scaring pheasants. This hat comes in one size, it is basically in rib (but a bit more interesting) so it is pretty accommodating for different sizes - it has been tested on various people and fits comfortably on a 2o" - 22" circumference head, I also found that after I blocked it it seemed to become more stretchy and would fit up to 23" with no trouble. The yarn used in the sample was Sirdar Click Aran with wool (Spruce 127) for the main colour (which sadly is discontinued) and King Cole Big Value 4 ply (Moss 786) and some random brown 4 ply from my big box of stuff but use what you like if you can get a similar tension with it - it's a hat not rocket science and the ribbing is pretty flexible so it doesn't have to be incredibly precise. You will need.. Yarn: Aran, approx 150m/165 yards of main colour; 4 ply, approx 150m/165 yards each of two contrastingcolours Tension: approx 16 st x 28 rows over 4"x 4" unstretched pattern before blocking Suggested needles: 4.5mm circular or DPNs, whatever you prefer for knitting in the round (or Size reguired to give Correct tension) size: After blocking - 56cm/22" circumference, 28cm/11" tall (μwith 6rim unfo/dea Stitch pattern worked flat for tension square: (or to make a matching Scarf) Cast on a multiple of 4 plus 1 stitches eg 17 or 21 Row 1: \*K3 P1, repeat from \* to last st, K1 Repeat this row for required length
Cast on
Holding one strand of aran weight wool and two strands of 4-ply cast on 81 stitches Working with three Strands of yarn at once is just the Same as working with one,just make Sure you put your needle through all three Strands of the stitch each time and pick up all three Strands every time you make a new Stitch.
Join in the round
(I use the following method as I find it means you don't get a gappy bit above thejoin) Slip first stitch from left to right needle, place marker for beginning of round. Joining round: K1 P1 \*K3 P1, repeat from \* to last 3 stitches, K1 K2tog (80 stitches) Workstraightsection (Tip - I am lazy and don't like weaving in ends So I get rid of it at the beginning like this: hold the tail from the Cast on with the working yarn and work with them both together for about three or four stitches on the Second round, then drop the cast on tail, carry on as normal and pick it up again when you get to it on the third round and work another three or four stitches with both strands, Carry on like this until the tail is uSed up or Cut it off when You are happy it is Secure.) Round 2: \*P3 K1, repeat from \* to end Round 3: K1 P1 \* K3 P1, repeat from \* to last 2 stitches K2 Round 4: \*P3 K1, repeat from \* to end Repeat last 2 rows 25 more times until you have 54 rows in total (approx 20cm/8") or to desired length ending with an even number row. (If you want to make a beanie without a brim try 28 rowS, approx lOcm/4", I think this should work but I haven't tried it yet... you have been warned!)
Decrease for crown
Continue working in pattern as set but decrease as follows Round 1: \*Patt 14 sts, K2tog, repeat from \* to end (75 sts) Round 2: \*Patt 14 sts, K1, repeat from \* to end Round 3: As round 2 Round 4: As round 2 Round 5: \*Patt 13 sts K2tog repeat from \* to end (70 sts) Round 6: \*Patt 13 sts K1 repeat from \* to end Round 7: \*Patt 12 sts K2tog repeat from \* to end (65 sts) Round 8: \*Patt 12 sts K1 repeat from \* to end Round 9: \*Patt 11 sts K2tog repeat from \* to end (60 sts) Round 10: \*Patt 11 sts K1 repeat from \* to end Round 11: \*Patt 10 sts K2tog repeat from \* to end (55 sts) Round 12: \*Patt 10 sts K1 repeat from \* to end Round 13: \*Patt 9 sts K2tog repeat from \* to end (50 sts) Round 14: \*Patt 9 sts K1 repeat from \* to end Round 15: \*Patt 8 sts K2tog repeat from \* to end (45 sts) Round 16: \*Patt 8 sts K1 repeat from \* to end Round 17: \*Patt 7 sts K2tog repeat from \* to end (40 sts) Round 18: \*Patt 7 sts K1 repeat from \* to end Round 19: \*Patt 6 sts K2tog repeat from \* to end (35 sts) Round 20: \*Patt 6 sts K1 repeat from \* to end Round 21: \*Patt 5 sts K2tog repeat from \* to end (30 sts) Round 22: \*Patt 5 sts K1 repeat from \* to end Round 23: \*K1 P1 K2 K2tog repeat from \* to end (25 sts) Round 24: \*P3 K2tog repeat from \* to end (20 sts) Round 25: \*K1 P1 K2tog repeat from \* to end (15 sts) Round 26: \*P1 K2tog repeat from \* to end (10 sts)
Break yarn, thread through remaining stitches, tie off/weave in ends on inside of hat, put hat on, go off and play in thewoods.
