11th Hour Hat - DK Weight

Finished Size:
20”- 22” around

Yarn:
Knit Picks Merino Style (100% Merino Wool; 123 yards/50 grams): Butternut (MC), 1 ball and Harvest (CC), 1 ball.

Needles:
Size 7: 16” circular needle.
Size 7: set of 4 DPN
Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain correct gauge.

Notions:
Yarn needle
Stitch markers
Waste yarn

Gauge: 20 sts = 4” using size 7 needles in stockinette stitch.

Directions:
Brim
With waste yarn and size 7 needles, cast on 15 stitches using a provisional cast on so that you can easily graft the band together. Knit 2 rows. Attach CC and knit 158 rows in garter stitch. You will end up with 79 garter “ridges”. Leave stitches on needle and cut yarn leaving a generous tail.

Carefully unravel waste yarn and place live stitches on size 7 needle. 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 7 circular needle, pick up and knit 80 stitches around the long edge of the brim. This will end up being about one stitch for each garter ridge. Place marker after the 80th stitch, this will mark the beginning/end of each round.

Knit the 80 sts 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 the k2togs (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.