by Sarah Ellis

Spiraling jogless jogs…they’re never quite as invisible as proponents of the technique claim they are. And then you have to figure out how to shoehorn that traveling beginning of the round into a pattern that doesn’t spiral. (Yes, there are other non-traveling methods, but those are specific to horizontal stripes, and not particularly relevant to most stranded colorwork.)

My goal was to make a piece that incorporates the jogless jog in a more humane manner. The colorwork pattern for this hat was created by taking basic stranded blocks and staggering the pattern one stitch left every round. The jog always falls at the boundary between motifs, which provides some camouflage, or at least makes the jog look like more of a deliberate design detail.

The motifs forming lightening bolts instead of slanting blocks was a happy accident. I staggered the crown decreases because I didn’t want obvious decrease lines or interruptions in patterning.

1x1 corrugated ribbing above the rolled edge helps keep the hat secure, and also has the advantage of having more memory than the more common 2x2 corrugated rib. Use a springy wool like either of the yarns featured here, and your hat will stretch to fit almost any adult head. And what better way to finish a pointy crown than with a giant, fluffy, multicolored pom pom?

SIZE
Child[Adult S, Adult L]
(shown in Adult L)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Brim Circumference: 17.5[18.5, 20] inches
Body Circumference: 19[22, 22] inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
Tonal Orange hat:
Wool Tree Yarn DK Weight [80% Superwash merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% Nylon; 125yds/114m per 50g skein]
[MC] Madder (light batch); 1 skein
[CC] Madder (dark batch); 1 skein

Gray/Rainbow hat:
Jojoland Rhythm Superwash [100% Superwash merino; 110yds/100m per 50g skein]
[MC] RS65 Taupe eagle; 2 skeins
[CC] RS103 Delphiniums; 1 skein
Note: A small portion of the second skein of [MC] is used for the crown section, so second skein is necessary even if pompom is omitted.

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below — every knitter's gauge is unique]
16-inch US #4/3.5mm circular needle
16-inch US #5/3.75mm circular needle
US #5/3.75mm needles for small circumference in the round – DPNs, 1 long circular for magic loop, or 2 short circulars, for the crown decrease

Notions
stitch marker
yarn needle
optional: 2.5 inch pom pom maker or cardboard

GAUGE
22 sts/32 rows = 4 inches in stockinette worked flat
24 sts/28 rounds = 4 inches in charted pattern using larger needles

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

M1: Use the backwards loop increase. Alternately, you can work a yo in the increase round, and then work the resulting yarnovers through the back loop in the following round.

The Jogless Jog
The jogless jog starts at the end of the first round of body pattern (chart A, rnd 1), and continues until round 8 of the Final Decreases. The unusual appearance of the charts reflects the spiraling start of the rounds.

Jogless jog: At end of round, remove marker, slip first stitch of round purlwise to right needle, place marker for new beginning of round. This moves beginning of round left by one stitch.

Body pattern
Rnds 1-5: [K4 with CC, k4 with MC] around, work jogless jog.
Rnds 6-10: [K4 with MC, k4 with CC] around, work jogless jog.

Crown Decrease
Rnd 1: [K4 with CC, k4 with MC] around.
Rnd 2: [K4 with CC, k4 with MC, k4 with CC, k2 with MC, k2tog with MC] around. 105[120, 120] sts.
Rnd 3: [K4 with CC, k4 with MC, k4 with CC, k3 with MC] around.
Rnd 4: [K4 with MC, k4 with CC, k4 with MC, k3 with CC] around.
Rnd 5: [K4 with MC, k2 with CC, k2tog with CC, k4 with MC, k3 with CC] around. 98[112, 112] sts.
Rnd 6: [K4 with MC, k3 with CC] around.
Rnd 7: [K4 with CC, k3 with MC] around.
Rnd 8: [K4 with CC, k3 with MC, k2 with CC, k2tog with CC, k3 with MC] around. 91[104, 104] sts.
Rnd 9: [K4 with CC, k3 with MC, k3 with CC, k3 with MC] around.
Rnd 10: [K4 with MC, k3 with CC, k3 with MC, k3 with CC] around.
Rnd 11: [K2 with MC, k2tog with MC, k3 with CC, k3 with MC, k3 with CC] around. 84[96, 96] sts.
Rnd 12: [K3 with MC, k3 with CC] around.
Rnd 13: [K3 with CC, k3 with MC] around.
Rnd 14: [K3 with CC, k3 with MC, k3 with CC, k1 with MC, k2tog with MC] around. 77[88, 88] sts.
Rnd 15: [K3 with CC, k3 with MC, k3 with CC, k2 with MC] around.
Rnd 16: [K3 with MC, k3 with CC, k3 with MC, k2 with CC] around.
Rnd 17: [K3 with MC, k1 with CC, k2tog with CC, k3 with MC, k2 with CC] around. 70[80, 80] sts.
Rnd 18: [K3 with MC, k2 with CC] around.
Rnd 19: [K3 with CC, k2 with MC] around.
Rnd 20: [K3 with CC, k2 with MC, k1 with CC, k2tog with CC, k2 with MC] around. 63[72, 72] sts.
Rnd 21: [K3 with CC, k2 with MC, k2 with CC, k2 with MC] around.
Rnd 22: [K3 with MC, k2 with CC, k2 with MC, k2 with CC] around.
Rnd 23: [K1 with MC, k2tog with MC, k2 with CC, k2 with MC, k2 with CC] around. 56[64, 64] sts.
Rnd 24: [K2 with MC, k2 with CC] around.
Rnd 25: [K2 with CC, k2 with MC] around.
Rnd 26: [K2 with CC, k2 with MC, k2 with CC, k2tog with MC] around. 49[56, 56] sts.
Rnd 27: [K2 with CC, k2 with MC, k2 with CC, k1 with MC] around.
Rnd 28: [K2 with MC, k2 with CC, k2 with MC, k1 with CC] around.
Rnd 29: [K2 with MC, k2tog with CC, k2 with MC, k1 with CC] around. 42[48, 48] sts.
Rnd 30: [K2 with MC, k1 with CC] around.
Rnd 31: [K2 with CC, k1 with MC] around.
Rnd 32: [K2 with CC, k1 with MC, k2tog with CC, k1 with MC] around. 35[40, 40] sts.
Rnd 33: [K2 with CC, k1 with MC, k1 with CC, k1 with MC] around.
Rnd 34: [K2 with MC, k1 with CC, k1 with MC, k1 with CC] around.
Rnd 35: [K2tog with MC, k1 with CC, k1 with MC, k1 with CC] around. 28[32, 32] sts.
Rnd 36: [K1 with MC, k1 with CC] around.

DIRECTIONS

Rnds 1-5: Knit.

Rnd 6: [K1 with CC, k1 with MC] around.

Rnds 7-11: [K1 with CC, p1 with MC] around.

Child [Adult L]:
Rnd 12: With CC only, [K7, m1] around. 112[-, 128] sts.

Adult S:
Rnd 12: With CC only, [K7, m1, k3, m1, k3, m1] around. 128 sts.

All sizes continue here.

Body
Change to larger circular needle.

Body Rnd: Work Body Pattern, from chart or written instructions.
Work as set until you have completed three full repeats of Body Pattern. Approximate length from end of ribbing is 4.5 inches.

Next round: Work Crown Decrease pattern around.

Work as set until Crown Decrease pattern is complete. 28[32, 32] sts.

Final Decreases
Rnd 1: [K1 with CC, k1 with MC] around.

Rnd 2: [K1 with CC, k1 with MC, k2tog with CC] around. 21[24, 24] sts.

Rnd 3: [K1 with CC, k1 with MC, k1 with CC] around.

Rnd 4: [K2 with CC, k1 with MC] around.

Rnd 5: [K2tog with CC, k1 with MC] around. 14[16, 16] sts.

Rnd 6: [K1 with CC, k1 with MC] around.

Rnd 7: [K1 with MC, k1 with CC] around.

Break MC and work with CC for remainder of crown.

Rnd 8: K2tog around. 7[8, 8] sts. Discontinue working jogless jog.

Rnds 9-10: Knit.

Rnd 11: K2tog to last 1[0, 0] sts, k1[0, 0]. 4 sts.

Break yarn. Thread tail through remaining sts and pull tight to close.

FINISHING
Weave in ends. Wet block or steam hat to eliminate puckering from stranded motifs. Make pom pom (orange hat used mostly CC with accents of MC, gray hat used mostly MC with accents of CC), and attach to top point of hat.

Sarah Ellis learned how to knit 21 years ago, and has scarcely spent a day without her knitting since then. Her debut published pattern, a hat and mitts set, was released earlier this year. Expect more accessories patterns (and even some garments) from her in the near future.

You can find her on Ravelry.