Saturday, November 3, 2007

11th Hour Hat - Bulky Weight

Finished Size:
20”- 22” around

Yarn:
Knit Picks Twirl (69% Superfine Alpaca, 28% Wool, 3% Nylon; 73 yards/100 grams): Fog (MC), 2 hanks and Cream (CC), 1 hank.

Needles:
Size 10.5: 16” circular needle.
Size 10.5: set of 4 DPN
Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain correct gauge.

Notions:
Yarn needle
Stitch markers
Waste yarn

Gauge:
3 sts = 1” worked in stockinette stitch on size 10.5 needles.
Check your gauge before you begin.

Directions:

Brim
With waste yarn and size 10.5 needles, cast on 9 stitches using a provisional cast on so that you can easily graft the band together. Knit 2 rows. Attach CC and knit in garter stitch, until band measures 21” or desired head circumference.

Leave stitches on needle and cut yarn leaving a generous tail. Carefully unravel waste yarn and place live stitches on size 10.5 dpn. Use directions below to graft the two short ends of the garter stitch strip together. Weave in all ends.

Grafting for Garter Stitch
Step 1: Thread 12” tail through yarn needle. Put the yarn needle in the first st on the front knitting needle knitways and pull the yarn through. Do not drop this st off the knitting needle. Next, put the yarn needle into the first st on the back knitting needle purlways. Pull all the way through. Do not drop this st off the knitting needle.
Step 2: Put the yarn needle into the first st on the front knitting needle purlways and pull the yarn all the way through. Drop this st off the knitting needle.
Step 3: Put the yarn needle knitways into the next st on the front knitting needle and pull through. Do not drop this st off the knitting needle.
Step 4: Put the yarn needle knitways into the first st on the back knitting needle and pull through. Drop this st off the knitting needle.
Step 5: Put the yarn needle into the next st on the back knitting needle purlways and pull through. Do not drop this st off the knitting needle.
Repeat steps 2-5 until you have worked all of the stitches on both needles.

Top of Hat
With the MC and using the size 10.5 circular needle, pick up and knit about one st for each garter ridge along the top of the garter stitch brim. Place marker after the last stitch that you pick up, this will mark the beginning/end of each round. Knit these stitches in the round for 3-4” (or until you feel the hat is long enough).

Top of Hat Decreases
Round 1: *k8, k2tog; repeat from * around
Round 2: Knit all the stitches
Round 3: work as for round 1, but with one less stitch in between thek2togs (k7, k2tog; repeat from * around)
Round 4: Knit.

Continue in this fashion (decreasing the number of stitches between the decreases) and switching to dpn when necessary, until you have 5 stitches left, then break the yarn and use the yarn needle to thread the end through the remaining 5 stitches. Switch to dpn when necessary. Tighten, and weave in the ends.

Voila! This basic hat can be modified in several different ways – add a color or texture pattern in the straight area, add horizontal stripes, a slip stitch pattern, lace, or embroidery on the cuff or crown. It can also be modified for size – simply knit more or fewer rows of garter stitch and pick up the appropriate number of stitches around for the crown. The cuff itself can also be made wider or narrower by simply casting on more or fewer stitches in the beginning.

3 comments:

Ari said...

Thank you dear, just in time for holiday gifts!

primdollie said...

love this pattern thanks so much but have a question I only see one color?? am I missing something?? because you mention MC and CC??? sorry hope I am not totally missing it?? thanks!! otherwise this will be a fun birthday gift for my brother!! hugs Linda

nevermore said...

Gah - sorry about that! The original pattern was written to have a contrasting brim. The original picture taken by Knitpicks I wasn't allowed to use, so the picture included is a modified version of the pattern.

Anyway, the contrast colour of yarn is used for the garter stitch brim, and then you switch to the main colour for the body of the hat - just like the DK weight version a little further down the page.

Sorry about the confusion!