WHODUNNKNIT
Basic Blank Beanie
The Basic Blank Beanie, created for St Mungo's Woolly Hat Day, is crying out for you to customise him. Look at him all plain and unadorned. Wouldn't you like to pepper him' with purly personality, jazz him up with a blizzard of buttons or add 'some awesome sauce with someelegantembroidery. Shove some individuality into your Basic Blank Beanie and boldly knit a hat that no one has ever knit before. You'll be'doing it for a very worthy cause. Use his powers for good by helping the homeless.
Materials
· Yarn: 50g DK acrylic yarn (use Orange for St Mungos) · 4mm 16cm-long circular knitting needle (you can use Magic Loop for the decrease part) Optional: set of 4mm Double Pointed Needles for the decreasepart · Anything extra to customise your hat with (extra yarn, buttons, bells, bows, eyeballs, sequins, embroidery thread, tiny monkeys in top hats...) · Your brain crammed full of imaginativeness and probably a nice cup of tea
Size/Gauge
One size fits most heads. Even if you have quite big hair. 20 sts and 27 rows approx. = 10cm (4in) in stocking stitch
Skills you'll need
Knitting. Purling. Decreasing. Ribbing.
Abbreviations
K = knit P = purl K2tog = knit two stitches together Sts = stitches
Pattern
The Basic Blank Beanie is knit on circular or double-pointed needles. It starts off with a bit of 3x3 rib, wanders into a bit of plain stocking stitch and finishes with a lovely flurry of decreases. Easy peasy.
Ribbing and main part
Cast on 84 sts and join to knit in the round Row 1 to Row 7. (K3, p3) around Row 8 and all rows until the piece measures 10cm. K around Decreasing for Crown Row 1. (K19, k2tog) around (80 sts) Row 2 and all even rows. K around Row 3. (K18, k2tog) around (76 sts) Row 5. (K17, k2tog) around (72 sts) Row 7. (K16, k2tog) around (68 sts) Row 9. (K15, k2tog) around (64 sts) Row 11. (K14, k2tog) around (60 sts) Row 13. (K13, k2tog) around (56 sts) Row 15. (K12, k2tog) around (52 sts) Row 17. (K11, k2tog) around (48 sts) Row 19. (K10, k2tog) around (44 sts) Row 21. (K9, k2tog) around (40 sts) Row 23. K2, k2tog around (30 sts) Row 25. k2tog around (15 sts) Thread yarn through remaining stitches, pull tight to close up and darn in ends.
Finishing
1. Try your hat on. It fits! If it doesn't fit something has gone horribly wrong or you have a weird head. Either way as long as it fits someone it's fine 2. Customise your hat any way you like. Embroider things, sew on stuff, stitch on all kinds of additions, or keep it simple and elegant. It's up to you. 3. Try your hat on again. Woo hoo! It looks marvellous. 4. Show your hat off to everyone. 5. Go to www.mungos.org/woollyhatday_2012 to find out how your hat can help the homeless. How cool.
Your Basic Beanie lives!
Tips on customising your beanie
· Don't use live animals to customise your hat. Even well trained mice have been known to go off for a cheese break. · Tinker with the plain stocking stitch part of the pattern to add a stitch pattern to the hat. Just draw out a simple grid of 88 stitches and fill in the squares. · Bacon may taste good but it won't make a good hat accessory. · If you add too many sequins to your hat your head will resemble a disco ball. Don't come running to me if people start throwing shapes when the light hits your bonce.
7 You can never have too many googly eyes on your hat. Fact. Hat examples shown: Plain Basic Beanie, Googly Eyed Goldfish (customised with knitted cord), Curiousity Cat (customised with knitted cord) and Hello Halloween (customised with spooky skull buttons).
St Mungo's opens doors for homeless people, providing emergency accommodation, support towards prevent rough sleeping. We're asking everyone to support Woolly Hat Day to raise money to help end homelessness. St Mungo's Woolly Hat Day takes place on Friday 26 October 2012 and people will be fundraising throughout the months before in the lead up to it. Put your hats on for homeless people. Wear a hat for the day and donate f2, get sponsored to wear a silly hat for the day or incorporate a hat in any way you choose to fundraise. Every pound’ you raise will open doors for homeless people. Get involved today at www.WoollyHatDay.org. Lauren O'Farrell. Not for commercial use.
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