My brother used to make colorful hats for himself; he stopped
doing so, but before he quit knitting, he bought some pretty
yarn for one last hat. The yarn just lay there in my house for
months, I could not stand it, so I decided to knit a hat for
him. When thinking of the design, I did not know what the colorwork
should be about, but the idea of guitars came when, wishing for
some quiet so I could think what to do, I heard him playing late
at night, and then it was obvious.
After doing his, I just had to buy more yarn to do one for myself.
This cozy hat is worked from the bottom up, it has two-sided
earflaps and a very musical design. Rock on!
model: Larisa
Medina Brener photos: Pablo
Medina Brener and Larisa Medina
Brener
Recommended needle size [always use a needle
size that gives you the gauge
listed below -- every knitter's
gauge is unique] US
#3/3.25mm needles for working in the
round 1
set US #3/3.25mm DPNs for i-cord,
attaching earflaps and working decrease
Notions stitch
markers 2
safety pins Stitch holders or lengths of scrap yarn yarn
needle pompom
maker US
G-6/4mm crochet hook (optional, for making
tassels)
GAUGE
16 sts/23 rounds = 4 inches
in stockinette stitch
24 sts/24 rounds = 4
inches in stranded colorwork
PATTERN NOTES [Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]
Provisional cast on
Instructions for a Provisional Cast On can be found here.
I-cord
Using a double-point needle, CO or pick
up required number of sts. K those sts.
Next Row: Instead of turning work around
to work back on the WS, slide all sts to other end of needle,
switch needle back to your left hand, bring yarn around back
of work, and start knitting the sts again. I-Cord is worked with
the RS facing at all times.
Repeat this row to form I-cord. After
a few rows, work will begin to form a tube.
Charts The charts for this pattern are very large.
Each fits on a letter-sized page.
Click below and print each resulting
page.
Earflaps (make 2):
With smaller needles, CO 26 sts.
Distribute stitches on needles as you prefer and join for working
in the round.
Work Earflap chart to end, cutting and
rejoining CC1 and CC2 as required. In rounds 6, 8 and 16-21,
the second color is only worked halfway across the round; we
recommend cutting it at the midpoint of the round. (Carrying
the unused color across the second half of the round adds bulk
to the earflap, and if your CC is much darker than your MC, then
it might show through on the RS.)
Slip 50 sts to holder or scrap yarn. Fold earflap at center
of round; first half of chart is the
outside; second half is the inside.
Body:
First cord: Using double pointed needles,
provisionally CO 3 sts with MC.
Work i-cord for 30 rows (approx 5.5 inches).
Place safety pin in i-cord at this point
as marker. Work
another 54 rows (approx. 9.5 inches)
and mark it again with a safety pin. Work
another 30 rows (approx 5.5 inches). Slip the
3 sts to a holder or scrap yarn.
Second cord: Using double pointed needles, provisionally CO
3 sts with MC.
Work i-cord for 30 rows (approx 5.5 inches).
Place safety pin in i-cord at this point
as marker. Work
another 40 rows (approx. 7 inches) and
mark it again with a safety pin. Work
another 30 rows (approx 5.5 inches). Slip
the 3 sts to a holder or scrap yarn.
Take first, longer i-cord. With RS of outside of earflap
facing, starting at cast on edge of i-cord and at center of cast-on
edge of first earflap, sew i-cord around edge of earflap, travelling
up to the left, lining up first safety pin marker with top edge
of earflap.
Leave the length of i-cord between safety pins unattached. Sew
last portion of i-cord, starting at second
safety pin to second earflap, again with
RS of outside of earflap facing, starting
at top right corner. Ensure end of i-cord
lines up with center of cast-on edge of
earflap.
Sew second i-cord to earflaps, starting at center of lower edge
of first earflap and working up to the top right. Ensure first
safety pin lines up with top edge of earflap. Leave the length
of i-cord between safety pins unattached.
Sew last portion of i-cord, starting at second safety pin to
second earflap, again with RS of outside of earflap facing, starting
at top left corner. Ensure end of i-cord lines up with center
of cast-on edge of earflap.
Return the stitches of the earflaps to needles as follows: slip
the first 25 to one DPN, the second 25 to another.
Using MC, with RS facing, pick up and knit 54 sts evenly distributed
along longer i-cord length between earflaps; work across first
earflap sts as follows: (k tog 1 st from first needle and 1 st
from second) 25 times; pick up and knit 40 sts evenly distributed
along short i-cord length between earflaps; work across first
second sts as follows: (k tog 1 st from first needle and 1 st
from second) 25 times. 144 sts.
Join for working in the round.
Knit 3 rounds in MC.
Join CC2 and knit 2 rounds.
Next round: Work Main Chart around.
Work until Main Chart is complete.
Cut CC1 and CC2.
Knit 2 rounds.
Decrease for crown:
Change to DPNs or magic loop as required
when circumference gets smaller.
FINISHING
Return the 6 held stitches from the i-cords at the bottom of
the first earflap to a DPN.
With RS facing, k2tog 3 times. 3 sts.
Work i-cord for 9 inches. Final row: K1, yo, k2.
BO.
Block hat and weave in all ends.
Cut 12 to 15 5-inch lengths of yarn to make a tassel for
the base of the earflap cords, using the
hole in the base of the i-cord to secure
them.
Make a 2.5 inch pompom and attach to top of hat.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
The author is a historian who delights in handcrafted things and
things to do with craft. She dreams with the goodness of the small
farm, to breed the ewe, shear the wool, spin the yarn and knit
the hat.
In the meantime, there is hard intellectual work but also
the joy of teaching the art of the purl.
