Survivor Hat, a free knitting pattern from Knitty.com.

INTRODUCTION

Survivor

beauty shot by Mary Martin

Extraspicy

This hat follows the Fuck Cancer Hat published in Knitty Deep Fall 2019! This hat was designed to celebrate my friend who is four years cancer free now!

My friend asked for this hat to wear to this year's Run for The Cure (a fundraising event in Canada). I am grateful that my friend is the beneficiary of many years of breast cancer research and is now enjoying life with many new adventures. Please support your local cancer research centre.

This hat is worked in the round from bottom up. The Survivor motif is created with slipped stitches. Only one yarn is worked at a time. The stitches and construction are very similar to those used in the Fuck Cancer Hat.

This hat requires two fingering-weight yarns. The pattern is very forgiving if your two yarns are slightly different weights. The writing (MC) looks best with a solid or tonal yarn. The contrast colour (CC) is used for the brim. This is a great project for using up scrap yarn.

Over the last few years, I have been asked several times to change the Fuck Cancer hat to a Fuck Covid hat. An unexpected bonus of the Survivor hat is that all the letters except the "d" are now available for Fuck Covid by combining the Fuck Cancer & the Survivor. If you would like to knit a Fuck Covid Hat, you can make a "d" from an "a".

spacer model: Sarah Martin

spacer photos: Mary Martin

SIZE

Adult S[M, L]

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Circumference: 18[20, 22] inches/ 45[50, 55] cm
Depth: 7[8, 9] inches/ 18[20.5, 23] cm; adjustable

Choose a size with approximately 1.5 inches/4 cm negative ease in the circumference

MATERIALS

Yarn
Julie Asselin Fino [75% merino 15% cashmere 10% silk, 370m/115g];
[MC] Echo, 1 skein
[CC] Cobalt, 1 skein
Yarn used: 150m of each colour.

Yarn Characteristics
Julie Asselin Fino is a smooth, multi-ply fingering weight wool-blend yarn.

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #2/2.75mm needles: one 16 inch/40 cm circular and needles for small circumference in the round: DPNs, 1 long or 2 short circulars as you prefer, for crown shaping

Notions
9 stitch markers
cable needle

GAUGE

28 stitches/52 rnds = 4 inches in garter stitch

PATTERN NOTES

[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

Sl1: Slip all sts as if to purl, with yarn in back.

1-into-5: Wyib, [insert right ndl from front to back between the next two sts on left ndl (as if for cable CO), wrap yarn & pull through, leaving this loop on the right ndl; slip 1 from left ndl to right ndl, insert left ndl between 1st two st on right ndl, wrap & pull through, slip 1 from right ndl to left ndl] twice k1, slip 2.

0-into-2: Wyib, insert right ndl from front to back under the horizontal strand before the next stitch, wrap & pull through, placing this loop on the left ndl; insert right ndl to the left of first st on left ndl (as if for cable CO), wrap yarn & pull through, leaving this loop on the right ndl; slip 1 from left ndl to right ndl.

1/1 LPT: Slip next st to cable needle, hold at front; p1, k1 tbl from cable needle.

1/1 RPT: Slip next st to cable needle, hold at back; k1 tbl, p1 from cable needle.

1/2 LPT: Slip next st to cable needle, hold at front; p2, k1 tbl from cable needle.

1/2 RPT: Slip next 2 sts to cable needle, hold at back; k1 tbl, p2 from cable needle.

2/1 LPT: Slip next 2 sts to cable needle, hold at front; p1, k2 tbl from cable needle.

2/1 RPT: Slip next st to cable needle, hold at back; k2 tbl, p1 from cable needle.

2/2 LPT: Slip next 2 sts to cable needle, hold at front; p2, k2 tbl from cable needle.

2/2 RPT: Slip next 2 sts to cable needle, hold at back; k2 tbl, p2 from cable needle.

1/1 RT: Slip next st to cable needle, hold at back; k1 tbl, k1 tbl from cable needle.

2/2 LT: Slip next 2 sts to cable needle, hold at front; k2 tbl, k2 tbl from cable needle.

2/2 RT: Slip next 2 sts to cable needle, hold at back; k2 tbl, k2 tbl from cable needle.

3-into-1: Slip 2, pass 2nd st on right ndl over 1st, return this st to left ndl, pass 2nd st on left ndl over 1st, p1.

5-into-1: Slip 3, *pass 2nd st over 1st on right ndl, sl from right ndl to left ndl, pass 2nd st over 1st on left ndl*, sl from left ndl to right ndl, repeat *to*, p1.

3-into-2 RPT: Slip next st to cable needle, hold in back, k2tog, p1 from cable needle.

3-into-2 LPT: Slip next st to cable needle, hold in front, p1, sl from cable needle to left ndl, k2tog.

CHARTS

View and download CHART here

Survivor Pattern
NOTE: All odd-numbered rounds are worked with MC, and all-numbered rounds are worked with CC.
Rnd 1: P65, 1-into-5, p3. 73 sts.
Rnd 2: K65, sl2, k1, sl2, k3.
Rnd 3: P63, 2/2 RPT, p1, 2/2 LPT, p1.
Rnd 4: K63, sl2, k5, sl2, k1.
Rnd 5: P62, 2/1 RPT, p5, 2/1 LPT.
Rnd 6: K62, sl2, k7, sl2.
Rnd 7: P62, k2 tbl, p7, k2 tbl.
Rnd 8: Repeat Rnd 6.
Rnd 9: P6, 0-into-2, p3, 0-into-2, p10, 0-into-2, p8, 0-into-2, p14, 0-into-2, p5, 0-into-2, p8, 0-into-2, p2, 0-into-2, p5, 2/1 RPT, p7, k2 tbl. 89 sts.
Rnd 10: K6, sl2, k3, sl2, k10, sl2, k8, sl2, k14, sl2, k5, sl2, k8, sl2, k2, sl2, k5, sl2, k8, sl2.
Rnd 11: P6, k2 tbl, p2, 1/1 RPT, 1/1 LPT, p7, 1/2 RPT, 1/1 LPT, p6, 1/1 RPT, 1/1 LPT, p12, 1/1 RPT, 1/1 LPT, p2, 1/2 RPT, 1/1 LPT, p6, 1/1 RPT, 1/1 LPT, p1, k1 tbl, 1/1 LPT, p4, k2 tbl, p8, k2 tbl.
Rnd 12: K6, sl2, (k2, sl1) twice, k7, sl1, k3, sl1, k6, sl1, k2, sl1, k12, (sl1, k2) twice, sl1, k3, sl1, k6, sl1, k2, (sl1, k1) twice, sl1, k4, sl2, k8, sl2.
Rnd 13: P6, k2 tbl, (p2, ktbl) twice, p6, 1/1 RPT, p3, k1 tbl, p6, k1 tbl, p2, k1 tbl, p12, k1 tbl, p2, 1/1 LPT, p1, k1 tbl, p3, k1 tbl, p5, 1/1 RPT, p2, k1 tbl, 1/1 RPT, p1, 1/1 LPT, p3, k2 tbl, p7, 2/1 RPT.
Rnd 14: K6, sl2, (k2, sl1) twice, k6, sl1, k4, sl1, k6, sl1, k2, sl1, k12, sl1, k3, sl1, k1, sl1, k3, sl1, k5, sl1, k3, sl2, k3, sl1, k3, sl2, k7, sl2, k1.
Rnd 15: P10, p2tog, p1, 1/1 LPT, p4, 1/1 RPT, p4, 1/1 LPT, p4, 1/1 RPT, p2, 1/1 LPT, p10, 1/1 RPT, p3, 1/1 LPT, k1 tbl, p3, 1/1 LPT, p3, 1/1 RPT, p2, 3-into-2 RPT, p3, k1 tbl, p3, k2 tbl, p6, k3tog, p1. 85 sts.
Rnd 16: K13, sl1, k4, sl1, k6, (sl1, k4) twice, sl1, k10, sl1, k5, sl2, k4, (sl1, k3) twice, sl1, k4, sl1, k3, sl2, k8.
Rnd 17: P13, k1 tbl, p4, k1 tbl, p1, 0-into-2, p5, k1 tbl, p2, 0-into-2, p2, k1 tbl, p4, k1 tbl, p3, 0-into-2, p4, 0-into-2, p3, k1 tbl, p5, k2tog, p4, k1 tbl, p3, k1 tbl, p2, (1/1 RPT, p3) twice, k2 tbl, p8. (92 sts.
Rnd 18: K13, sl1, k4, sl1, k1, sl2, k5, sl1, k2, sl2, k2, sl1, k4, sl1, k3, sl2, k4, sl2, k3, sl1, k5, sl1, k4, sl1, k3, sl1, k2, (sl1, k4) twice, sl2, k8.
Rnd 19: P6, k2 tbl, p4, 1/1 RPT, p4, k1 tbl, 1/1 RPT, 1/1 LPT, p4, (1/1 LPT, 1/1 RPT) twice, p4, 1/1 LPT, (1/2 RPT, 2/1 LPT) twice, 1/1 RPT, p5, k1 tbl, p3, (1/1 RPT, p2) twice, (k1 tbl, p4) twice, 2/1 LPT, p7.
Rnd 20: K6, sl2, k4, (sl1, k5, sl2, k2) twice, sl2, k6, (sl2, k4) twice, sl2, k6, (sl1, k3) 3 times, sl1, k4, sl1, k5, sl2, k7.
Rnd 21: P6, k2 tbl, p4, k1 tbl, p5, C1B1, p2, 1/1 LPT, p4, k2 tbl, p2, k2 tbl, p6, C1B1, p3, 3-into-2 RPT, p4, C1B1, p6, (k1 tbl, p3) three times, k1 tbl, p4, k1 tbl, p5, k2 tbl, p7. (91 sts.
Rnd 22: K6, sl2, k4, sl1, k5, sl2, k3, sl1, k4, sl2, k2, sl2, k6, sl2, k3, sl1, k5, sl2, k6, (sl1, k3) three times, sl1, k4, sl1, k5, sl2, k7.
Rnd 23: P5, 2/1 RPT, p4, k1 tbl, p3, 1/2 RPT, (1/1 LPT, p2) twice, 3-into-2 RPT, p2, k2 tbl, p5, 1/1 RPT, k1 tbl, p3, k1 tbl, p4, 1/1 RPT, k1 tbl, p5, 1/1 RPT, p3, k1 tbl, (p2, 1/1 RPT) twice, p3, 1/1 RPT, p5, 2/1 LPT, p6. 90 sts.
Rnd 24: K5, sl2, k5, (sl1, k3) three times, sl1, k2, sl1, k3, sl2, k5, sl1, k1, sl1, k3, sl1, k4, sl1, k1, sl1, k5, sl1, k4, sl1, k2, sl1, k3, sl1, k4, sl1, k7, sl2, k6.
Rnd 25: P5, k2 tbl, p5, 1/1 LPT, p1, 1/1 RPT, p3, 1/1 LPT, p2, 1/1 LPT, 1/1 RPT, p3, k2tog, p4, 1/1 RPT, p1, (k1 tbl, p3) twice, 1/1 RPT, p1, k1 tbl, p5, k1 tbl, p4, 1/1 LPT, p1, k1 tbl, p3, k1 tbl, p4, k1 tbl, p7, 2/1 LPT, p5. 89 sts.
Rnd 26: K5, sl2, k6, sl1, k1, sl1, k5, sl1, k3, sl2, (k4, sl1) twice, k2, (sl1, k3) twice, sl1, k2, (sl1, k5) twice, sl1, k1, sl1, k3, sl1, k4, sl1, k8, sl2, k5.
Rnd 27: P5, k2 tbl, p6, 3-into-2 LPT, p5, 1/1 LPT, p1, 3-into-2 RPT, p4, p2tog, p3, 1/1 LPT, p1, k1 tbl, p3, p2tog, p2, 1/1 LPT, p1, k1 tbl, p5, p2tog, p4, 3-into-2 LPT, (p3, p2tog) twice, p7, 2/1 LPT, p4. 81 sts.
Rnd 28: K5, sl2, k7, sl1, k6, sl1, k1, sl1, k10, sl1, k1, sl1, k7, sl1, k1, sl1, k11, sl1, k16, sl2, k4.
Rnd 29: P4, 2/1 RPT, p7, p2tog, p5, 3-into-1, p10, 3-into-1, p7, 3-into-1, p11, p2tog, p15, k2 tbl, p4. 73 sts.
Rnd 30: K4, sl2, k61, sl2, k4.
Rnd 31: P4, k2 tbl, p55, 0-into-2, p6, 2/1 LPT, p3. 75 sts.
Rnd 32: K4, sl2, k55, sl2, k7, sl2, k3.
Rnd 33: P4, k2 tbl, p29, 0-into-2, p25, 2/1 RPT, p7, k2 tbl, p3. 77 sts.
Rnd 34: K4, sl2, k29, sl2, k25, sl2, k8, sl2, k3.
Rnd 35: P3, 2/1 RPT, p29, k2 tbl, p25, k2 tbl, p8, k2 tbl, p3.
Rnd 36: K3, sl2, k30, sl2, k25, sl2, k8, sl2, k3.
Rnd 37: P3, k2 tbl, p30, k2 tbl, p25, k2 tbl, p8, k2 tbl, p3.
Rnd 38: Repeat Rnd 36.
Rnd 39: P3, k2 tbl, p29, k3tog, p25, k2 tbl, p7, 2/1 RPT, p3. 75 sts.
Rnd 40: K3, sl2, k55, sl2, k7, sl2, k4.
Rnd 41: P2, 2/1 RPT, p55, 2/1 LPT, p5, 2/1 RPT, p4.
Rnd 42: K2, sl2, k57, (sl2, k5) twice.
Rnd 43: P1, k3tog, p57, 2/2 LPT, p1, 2/2 RPT, p5. 73 sts.
Rnd 44: K61, sl2, k1, sl2, k7.
Rnd 45: P61, 5-into-1, p7. 69 sts.
Rnd 46: Knit.

DIRECTIONS

Using CC, circular needle and long tail method, CO 112[126, 140] sts.
Place marker and join for working in the round.

Brim round: (K1, p1) to end of round.
Work Brim round until piece measures 1[1.5, 1.5] / 2.5[3.5, 3.5] cm.

Increase rnd: [M1, (k1, p1) 3 times, k1, m1, (p1, k1) 3 times, p1] to end of round. 128[144, 160] sts.

Following rnd, setup markers for pattern: K 29[37, 45] , pm, k69 pm, k to end of round.
After all MC/odd numbered rounds, leave MC yarn at the front of work. After all CC/even numbered rounds, leave CC yarn at the back of work. Join MC.

Starting Rnd 1: With MC, p around.
Starting Rnd 2: With CC, k around.
Repeat Starting Rnds 1-2 once more.

Rnd 1: With MC, p to m, work Row 1 of Survivor Pattern, p to end.
Rnd 2: With CC, k to m, work Row 2 of Survivor Pattern, k to end.
Continue work as established in Rnds 1-2 until chart is complete.

Continue to alternate knitting in CC and purling in MC until hat measures desired length or 6[7, 8] inches)/ 15[17, 20] cm from cast on edge, ending with an MC rnd.

Crown Decreases
As hat gets too small to work on circular needle, change to small circumference needles.

Crown Round 1: With CC, (k 14[16, 18] , k2tog, pm) around. 8 sts dec'd.
Crown Round 2: With MC, purl around.
Crown Round 3: With CC, [k to 2 before marker, k2tog] around. 8 sts dec'd.

Repeat Crown rounds 2-3 until 16 sts remain.
With MC, p2tog around. 8 sts.

FINISHING

Break your yarns leaving tails about 10 inches/25 cm long. Thread the yarn through the remaining stitches. Pull tight and weave in the ends.

Block by soaking the hat in cold water. Squeeze out the excess water. Lay it flat, smooth it with your hand and allow it to dry.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

designername Mary designs reversible fabrics using two techniques that she has developed: Fission Knitting and Fusion Knitting.
To learn more about Mary's designs and reversible knitting, subscribe to Mary's newsletter. You will receive a free Intro to Reversible Knitting pattern as well.

See more of her work at Instagram, Ravelry, Payhip, YouTube and her website.