Starting a new project is always so full of anticipation and promise - until the knitting ADHD kicks in. Either it’s acres of plain knitting (yawn) or nupps placed every 9 stitches (yikes) and we’re scouting around for something new.
This fun top-down hat has you working a little bit of a lot of different techniques, but none of them last long enough to take you around the bend. A pinhole cast-on, a bit of Entrelac, a lateral braid or two, some stranded colorwork, tassels and a pom-pom, oh, and a little stockinette stitch will keep you engaged right to the end. Plus, for all the Noro junkies in the world, there’s plenty of color to play with. Additionally, there is the great fun of German Short Row. GSR is one of my very favorite techniques, and one whose glories I want to spread abroad to every knitter as it is intuitive, elegant, easy to work and looks absolutely fabulous!
Standard wrap-and-turn short rowing always left me cold, with wraps that buried themselves at the base of the stitch and required digging out to incorporate. The extra yarn wrapped around the stitch left an inevitable loop on that back after picking up the wraps, which seriously offended my inner Anal Knitter. German Short Row doesn’t introduce any extra yarn into the piece, but instead pulls up a stitch from the previous row, actually shortening the stitch rather than introducing more yarn. Yeehah! Less is more.
Recommended needle size [always use a needle
size that gives you the gauge
listed below — every knitter's
gauge is unique] 16 inch US #6/4mm circular needle 16 inch US #7/4.5 mm circular needle US #7/4.5 mm needles for small circumference in the round: DPNs, 1 long circular needle or 1 short circulars Size F/4mm crochet hook for cast-on
Notions credit card or gift card for making tassel and pom-pom yarn needle
GAUGE
19 sts/28 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch using US #7/4.5 mm needles
PATTERN NOTES [Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]
ssp:slip one st knitwise, slip another st knitwise; replace both sts back on the left-hand needle. Purl 2 together through the back loops.
DS(s): Double Stitch(es)
GSR-DS: Create a Double Stitch – see below for details.
Main Color/Contrast Color: When using Noro yarn, ‘Main color’ is a bit of a misnomer, since you’ll be moving through a series of glorious colors as the work progresses. There is no real need to designate a main color when you begin, just start with a color that makes you happy. The pattern calls for a succession of contrast colors when knitting the braids, Entrelac, and colorwork for the earflap. When a new CC is called for, select a color from another part of the skein (or the alternate skein) that has a high contrast with the color you have just finished using. Even if you have to unwind a bit to get to a color that works, the finished result will be worth it. Don’t be afraid of the pieces that have been broken off the main skein, as there are plenty of opportunities in this hat to use up small bits of color.
Lateral Braid
Video tutorials: Working the braid | Finishing the braid
German Short Rows
This pattern uses German Short rows. Rather than wrapping a stitch as in the conventional wrap-and-turn style of short-rowing, GSR pulls up a stitch from the previous row, creating a ‘doubled’ stitch, as follows:
1. After turning, always make sure the yarn is in the front of the work. If it isn’t, move it forward between the tips of the needle.
2. Slip one stitch purlwise (this will be the stitch which has the live end attached to it).
3. Pull the yarn straight up and over the right-hand needle, gently pulling up the stitch from one row beneath.
4. If the pattern stipulates purling the next stitch, then bring yarn forward between the tips of the needle as you normally would for purling; if pattern stipulates knitting the next stitch, then just maintain tension on the yarn and knit as usual.
In the pattern, we’ve abbreviated this as GSR-DS.
If you inspect your newly-created Double Stitch, you will notice that the stitch has two legs on each side of the needle which interlock at the top. From this point on, the Double Stitch is treated as a single stitch. When it’s time to work through the stitch and reincorporate it – the equivalent would be ‘picking up the wraps’ in a standard w&t – you simply work both legs of the stitch together as one, whether working knitwise or purlwise.
Hat Crown:
Using larger needles for small circumference circular knitting, and crochet hook, CO 8 sts using the Pinhole Cast On. If using Magic Loop technique, distribute sts so that there are 4 sts on either side of cable. If using DPNs it’s easiest to distribute 4 sts on each of 2 DPNs to begin work, then add a third or fourth needle as more sts are created. Join in round, being careful not to twist the stitches.
Change to larger 16-inch circular needle when you have 72 sts on your needle.
Rnd 1: [K1, LLI] to end of round. 16 sts Rnd 2: Knit. Rnd 3: [K1, m1] to end of round. 32 sts Rnd 4: Knit. Rnd 5: [K1, m1] to end of round. 64 sts
Knit 6 rounds. Rnd 12: [K8, m1] to end of round. 72 sts
Knit 6 rounds. Rnd 19: [K9, m1] to end of round. 80 sts
Knit 8 rounds. Rnd 28: [K10, m1] to end of round. 88 sts
Knit 8 rounds. Rnd 37: [K11, m1] to end of round. 96 sts
Knit 8 rounds.
Size S only:
Next round: [K16, m1] to end of round. 102 sts
Knit 1 round. Break yarn, leaving 6 inch tail.
Size M only:
Next round: [K8, m1] to end of round. 108 sts
Knit 4 rounds. Break yarn, leaving 6 inch tail.
Large size only:
Next round: [K8, m1] to end of round. 108 sts
Knit 8 rounds. Next round: [k18, m1] to end of round. 114 sts
Knit 4 rounds. Break yarn, leaving 6 inch tail.
The lateral braid creates rather tall ‘stalks’ of stitches on the row following the braid. For this reason it is recommended that you both go down a needle size and work the stitches a bit more tightly than normal. Pulling horizontally on the finished braid also helps absorb the extra height from the row above. The braids are the only place on the hat where you will be using the smaller circular needle.
Change to smaller 16 inch circular needle.
Next round, Create Lateral Braid: Attach new CC yarn, m1R, then slip that worked st back onto the left-hand needle. *Knit into the back of the second st, then knit into the front of the first st and slip them both off the needle. Replace just-worked st back onto the left-hand needle; repeat from * until you’ve worked the entire round. When you reach the end of the round, break the yarn, leaving a 6 inch tail. (Note: The yarn is broken at this point in order to perfectly join the braid without any visible jog.)
Gently unknit the last stitch and bring the live end through the last live stitch of the braid from back to front. Locate the nearest complete chain stitch immediately to the left of the last bound-off stitch. Bring the needle up underneath the narrow end of the chain stitch and pull through. Bring needle back into the same opening it came out of, from front to back.
As with the first braid, choose another CC from a different part of the skein and work another Lateral Braid. Break yarn, leaving a 6 inch tail and finish as the first braid.
Entrelac: Starting Triangles
Change to larger 16-inch circular needle, attach new CC yarn and work as follows: Row 1 [RS]: Skp, k1, turn.
Row 2 [WS]: GSR-DS, p1, turn.
Row 3 [RS]: Sl 1, k2, incorporating DS as you go, turn.
Row 4 [WS]: GSR-DS, p2, turn.
Row 5 [RS]: Sl 1, k3, incorporating DS as you go, turn.
Row 6 [WS]: GSR-DS, p3, turn.
Row 7 [RS]: Sl 1, k4, incorporating DS as you go. 5 sts. DO NOT TURN.
Repeat Rows 1-7 until you have worked across all the sts on the needle.
Break yarn. 85[90, 95] sts.
Entrelac: Ending Triangles – First Triangle
Turn work so that WS is facing. Attach new CC yarn and work as follows: Row 1 [WS]: With purl side facing, pick up and purl 4 sts down sloping edge of the triangle (from back to front); p1 st from LH needle. Turn. 5 sts.
Every Subsequent Row 1 [WS]: With purl side facing, pick up 4 sts down sloping edge from back to front; p1 st from LH needle. Pass the last picked up st over. Turn. 5 sts. Row 2 [RS]: K4, turn. Row 3 [WS]: GSR-DS, p2, p2tog. Turn. Row 4 [RS]: K3, turn. Row 5 [WS]: GSR-DS, p1, p2tog. Turn. Row 6 [RS]: K2, turn. Row 7 [WS]: GSR-DS, p2tog. Turn. Row 8 [RS]: K5, incorporating all the DSs as you go. Turn. Row 9 [WS]: [P2tog, replace that worked st back on LH needle] 5 times for a total of 5 bind-offs. 1 st remains on RH needle. DO NOT TURN.
Entrelac: Ending Triangles – All Subsequent Triangles Row 1 [WS]: With purl side facing, pick up 4 sts down sloping edge from back to front; p1 st from LH needle. Pass the last picked up st over. Turn. 5 sts. Row 2 [RS]: Sl 1, k3. Row 3 [WS]: GSR-DS, p2, p2tog. Turn. Row 4 [RS]: K3 Row 5 [WS]: GSR-DS, p1, p2tog. Turn. Row 6 [RS]: K2 Row 7 [WS]: GSR-DS, p2tog. Turn. Row 8 [RS]: K5, incorporating all the DSs as you go. Turn. Row 9 [WS]: [P2tog, replace that worked st back on LH needle] 5 times for a total of 5 bind-offs. 1 st remains on RH needle. DO NOT TURN.
Repeat Rows 1-9 until you have worked and bound off all the sts on the needle. Break yarn, leaving a tail, and join bind off together as for Lateral Braid.
Ear Flap
To mark where ear flap stitches will be picked up, use the bound-off edge stitches as a guide and designate the end-of-round join as the starting place for counting. Using removable stitch markers and working from right to left, count 10[11, 12] sts, PM, count 27 sts, PM, count 29[32, 35] sts, PM, count 27 sts, PM. This should leave you with 19[22, 25] sts before first marker (4 markers placed).
For a truly custom fit, try the hat on and place ear flaps just where you want them, counting across 27 stitches along bound-off edge for each flap. You will want a larger opening at the front of the hat than at the back.
Note: When knitting the CC on the wrong side of the ear flap on rows 7, 11, 15, 19, and 23, be sure to bring the CC yarn forward again before purling the next stitch.
Choose a color to be your background/MC, join yarn and pick up and knit 27 sts under the purl bumps just on the inside of the hat. Row 1 [WS]: Sl 1, p1, k1, p to last 3 sts, k1, p2. Attach new CC where designated in row 2. When color is not listed for a row, it is worked entirely with MC.
Row 2 [RS]: Sl 1, k1, p1, [k1 MC, k1 CC] to last 4 sts, with MC, k1, p1, k2. Row 3 [WS]: Sl 1, p1, k1, [p1 MC, k1 CC], to last 4 sts, with MC, p1, k1, p2. Row 4 [RS] Sl 1, k1, p1, skp, k to last 5 sts, k2tog, p1, k2. 25 sts. Row 5 [WS]: Sl 1, p1, k1, p to last 3 sts, k1, p2. Row 6 [RS]: Sl 1, k1, p1, [k1 MC, k1 CC] to last 4 sts, with MC, k1, p1, k2. Row 7 [WS]: Sl 1, p1, k1, [p1 MC, k1 CC], to last 4 sts, with MC, p1, k1, p2. Row 8 [RS]: Sl 1, k1, p1, skp, k to last 5 sts, k2tog, p1, k2. 23 sts. Row 9 [WS]: Sl 1, p1, k1, p to last 3 sts, k1, p2. Row 10 [RS]: Sl 1, k1, p1, [k1 MC, k1 CC] to last 4 sts, with MC, k1, p1, k2. Row 11 [WS]: Sl 1, p1, k1, [p1 MC, k1 CC], to last 4 sts, with MC, p1, k1, p2. Row 12 [RS]: Sl 1, k1, p1, skp, k to last 5 sts, k2tog, p1, k2. 21 sts. Row 13 [WS]: Sl 1, p1, k1, p to last 3 sts, k1, p2. Row 14 [RS]: Sl 1, k1, p1, [k1 MC, k1 CC] to last 4 sts, with MC, k1, p1, k2. Row 15 [WS]: Sl 1, p1, k1, [p1 MC, k1 CC] to last 4 sts, with MC, p1, k1, p2. Row 16 [RS]: Sl 1, k1, p1, skp, k to last 5 sts, k2tog, p1, k2. 19 sts. Row 17 [WS]: Sl 1, p1, k1, p to last 3 sts, k1, p2. Row 18 [RS]: Sl 1, k1, p1, [k1 MC, k1 CC] to last 4 sts, with MC, k1, p1, k2. Row 19 [WS]: Sl 1, p1, k1, [p1 MC, k1 CC] to last 4 sts, with MC, p1, k1, p2. Row 20 [RS]: Sl 1, k1, p1, skp, k to last 5 sts, k2tog, p1, k2. 17 sts. Row 21 [WS]: Sl 1, p1, k1, p2tog, p to last 5 sts, ssp, k1, p2. 15 sts. Row 22 [RS]: Sl 1, k1, p1, skp, [k1 CC, k1 MC] twice, k1 CC, with MC, k2tog, p1, k2. 13 sts. Row 23 [WS]: Sl 1, p1, k1, p2tog, p1 MC, k1 CC, p1 MC, ssp, k1, p2. 11 sts. Row 24 [RS]: Sl 1, k1, p1, skp, k1, k2tog, p1, k2. 9 sts. Row 25 [WS]: Sl 1, p1, k1, p2tog, p1, k1, p2. 8 sts. Row 26 [RS]: Sl 1, k1, k2tog, skp, k2. 6 sts. Row 27 [WS]: Sl 1, ssp, p2tog, p1. 4 sts. Row 28 [RS]: K2tog, skp. 2 sts.
I-Cord:
Without turning your work, slide the 2 remaining stitches to the other end of the needle, from left to right. Knit these 2 stitches. (The yarn will come from the far left stitch, across the back.) Continue in this manner until you have an I-cord about 6-inch long. Break yarn, leaving 20 inch tail for attaching the tassel. Thread tapestry needle with tail end and bring through the last 2 sts, pulling them up tight.
FINISHING
Wrap yarn longways around a gift or credit card about 24 times. Cut yarn strands open at the card’s bottom edge and separate yarn strands into two even clumps.
Position your I-cord between the strands and with the threaded tail from the I-cord, bring yarn around one clump of strands, pierce cord above the strands to enclose them.
Bring yarn around the other clump of strands and pierce needle through cord once more at the starting point underneath. Tie off end.
With a 20-inch length of yarn on a needle, wrap yarn tightly around all strands starting about 1.5 inches from the tassel head, hiding the end of the yarn with the wrapping itself. When you’ve made a wide enough ‘neck’, plunge the needle tightly down into the center of the tassel. Remove needle and trim ends even.
Pom Pom:
Wind yarn around a gift or credit card or your splayed fingers at least 100 times (you want a very chubby wad of yarn)! Pull yarn off fingers or card and center it on top of a 12-inch piece of yarn so that the loop ends of the wound yarn are perpendicular to the yarn strand. Tie the yarn strand tightly around the center of the wound yarn to create a ‘waist’ and make a firm knot. Cut open the looped ends. Trim into a ball shape. With yarn strand tails, attach pom pom to hat.
Weave in all ends.
I chose not to block this hat to preserve the texture of the Entrelac and the colorwork. The tassels were lightly steamed just to settle the ends down.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
After spending 20 years as a musician, Mimi Kezer has spent the last eight years teaching and designing knitwear in beautiful East Tennessee. Teaching is her passion, which she does at local yarn shops, fiber festivals and via YouTube videos.
