A delicious, waffly, tea cozy of a hat. And it’s even reversible. The right side features a more feminine pattern of ovals outlined with a tracery of darker color. The wrong side has a more masculine pattern of bisected blocks.
This simple colorwork technique transforms a simple ribbed hat into something fun, bold, deeply textured and rather splendid. Yet it only requires one pattern row out of six and only one color is ever worked at a time.
Size
Choose a size approx. 2-4” (5-10 cm) less than your actual head size for a snug fit.
Finished circumference
4 years- adult small: 18″/45cm
Adult M: 18”/ 45cm (the M is a little longer than the S, but in this very stretchy pattern the same size will fit around your head)
Adult L: 21”//54cm
Shown in adult small on a head circ. of 21″/53cm
Yarn
Essentials Soft Merino Aran by Rico Design
Aran / 10 ply
100% Merino
100 meters / 50 grams
Shown in Mint (MC) and Petrol (CC)
4 years- adult small: 110yds/100m of MC and 35yds/32m CC
Adult M:115yds/105m of MC and 35yds/33m of CC
Adult L: 145m/130yds of MC and 45yds/42m of CC
Needles
Size US 6 (4 mm) circular for main pattern
Size US 2 or 3 (3 mm) circular for ribbing
OR correct needle size to achieve gauge. Pattern assumes magic loop, but you may substitute your preferred method for small circumference knitting when decreasing the crown.
Notions
Stitch marker for start of round
Tapestry needle
Gauge
22 sts and 31 rounds to 4”/10cm over main stitch pattern Alternatively, gauge can be taken over stockinette at 20 sts and 31 rounds to 4”/10 cm.
Abbreviations
See our standard abbreviations.
Drop the stitch down five rows then knit: take the stitch to be worked off the needle and deliberately drop the stitch down five rows (all the stitches in your MC since the last rounds of CC). Pick up the stitch (now in the second of the previous rounds of CC) and place it back on your left hand needle. Pick up the five strands from above the dropped stitch and lay them over the needle (you’re not knitting them yet). Knit the dropped stitch together with the five strands.
Pattern Notes
Pattern is worked bottom up in the round and assumes magic loop on circular needles. You may substitute your preferred method of circular knitting and small circumference knitting for the crown decreases. Gauge swatching in the round is recommended. You will note that the medium size starts with the same cast-on numbers and has the same circumference as the small size. This is a very stretchy pattern and will easily fit a medium head; the medium does have some extra length.
When changing yarn color you can carry the unused yarn up the inside of the work by twisting it with the working yarn at the beginning of every row. This is not very visible on my sample and the hat remains viably reversible.
Charts
Main
Crown Decreases
Pattern
- With CC CO 96 (96, 108) sts using your smaller needle. I used the Twisted German long tailed cast on
- Place a marker to indicate your start of round and, joining in the round, work ribbing as follows for just over half an inch (3/4 of an inch, just over half an inch)/1.5cm (2, 1.5) cm :
*K1, p2* around the hat, every round
- Change to your main working needle. Repeat the following rounds 2.5** (2.5**, 3) times repeating them 16 (16, 18) times around the circumference of your hat.
Rnds 1 – 5: Using MC, (k1, p2) x 2; 6 sts.
Rnd 6: Using CC, drop the stitch down five rows then knit, p2, k1, p2.
Rnd 7: Using CC, (k1, p2) x 2.
Rnds 8 – 12: Using MC , (k1, p2) x 2.
Rnd 13: Using CC, k1, p2, drop the stitch down five rows then knit, p2.
Rnd 14: Using CC, repeat rnd 7.
*see abbreviations
** ending on rnd 7 for the half repeat
- You will now work the crown decreases. For the Large size only you will need to move your start of round 6 stitches to the left before beginning the crown chart. Work the following rounds once, repeating them 8, (8, 9) times around your hat (stitch counts refer to the count remaining within each pattern repeat)
Rnd 1: Using MC, (k1, p2) x 3, k1, p2tog; 11 sts.
Rnd 2: Using MC, (k1, p2) x 3, k1, p1.
Rnd 3: Using MC, (k1, p2) x 2, k1, p2tog, k1, p1; 10 sts.
Rnds 4 – 5: Using MC, (k1, p2) x 2, (k1, p1) x 2.
Rnd 6: Using CC, K1, p2, drop the stitch down five rows then knit, p2, k1, p1, drop the stitch down five rows then knit, p1 .
Rnd 7: Using CC (K1, p2) x 2, (k1, p1) x 2.
Rnd 8: Using MC, (k1, p2) x 2, k1, p1, k2tog; 9 sts.
Rnd 9: Using MC, (k1, p2) x 2, k1, p1, k1.
Rnd 10: Using MC, (k1, p2) x 2, k1, p2tog; 8 sts.
Rnd 11: Using MC, (k1, p2) x 2, k1, p1.
Rnd 12: Using MC, k1, p2, k1, p2tog, k1, p1; 7 sts.
Rnd 13: Using CC, drop the stitch down five rows then knit, p2, k1, p1, drop the stitch down five rows then knit, p1.
Rnd 14: Using CC, k1, p2, (k1, p1) x 2.
Rnd 15: Using MC, k1, p2, k1, p3.
Rnd 16: Using MC , k1, p2, k1, p1, p2tog; 6 sts.
Rnds 17 – 19: Using MC, (k1, p2) x 2.
Rnd 20: Using CC, k1, p2, drop the stitch down five rows then knit, p2.
Rnd 21: Using CC, (k1, p2) x 2.
Rnd 22: Using MC, k1, p2tog tbl, k1, p2tog; 4 sts.
Rnd 23: Using MC, (k1, p1) x 2.
Rnd 24: Using CC, k1, sl2, k1, p2sso; 2 sts.
Rnd 25: Using CC, k2tog; 1 st.
- You should now have 8 (8, 9) sts rem. Cut your yarn with a long tail and thread through the remaining stitches and to the wrong side of the hat before pulling tight and weaving in your end.
Finishing
Weave in your remaining ends. Wash according to your yarn band instructions and dry flat or on a hat blocker.
About the Designer: Elizabeth Felgate
Elizabeth Felgate is an independent designer living in a stone cottage in rural Wiltshire with eight walnut trees in the garden.
She likes designing from first principles. Many of her patterns feature custom-designed lace patterns or unusual construction methods. She loves aran weight jumpers and airy lace; but is not averse to chunky lace and lightweight sweaters either.
When not knitting she is a marketing consultant and mother of two.
http://knotions.com/issues/october-2017/pattern-october-2017/tucked-in-hat/
Forest Shawl
I’m new at knitting. What do you mean when you say “drop the stitch down 5 rows?”
Hi Mary!
You take the stitch, slip it off the needle, and let it unravel down for 5 rows. We do also explain it in the pattern, but here’s the full text as well:
Drop the stitch down five rows then knit: take the stitch to be worked off the needle and deliberately drop the stitch down five rows (all the stitches in your MC since the last rounds of CC). Pick up the stitch (now in the second of the previous rounds of CC) and place it back on your left hand needle. Pick up the five strands from above the dropped stitch and lay them over the needle (you’re not knitting them yet). Knit the dropped stitch together with the five strands.