Knitting Pattern: Check out this nifty knit hat!

Hope you're all faring well as we approach the year's end. 

Me?

I'm plugging away on editing, chilling with the family, and practicing the fine art of knitting.  Yes, you read that right. 

Anyway, I've apparently picked up some skill over the years because I managed to produce a nifty knit hat, and I managed to write it down, and even more awesomely, I managed to reproduce the hat following my directions.

And because, one, I don't want to forget how I did it and, two, I want to see if you can make one, too, here's my pattern.

JUST KIDDING!

Well, that is it, but I think you might find the following easier to work with. In case you were curious, the star means the pattern actually turned out well.  The knit hat 2 means that the knit hat 1 was hideous, and we shall never speak of it again...

Ahem, well, now that we have that out of the way, onward to the pattern!


Tools needed:

• 9mm circular knitting needles
• size K crochet hook (justifies blogging this!)
• tapestry needle
• worsted weight yarn (2 balls), I used Caron One Pound. 

Knitting stitches used:

• K for knit
• P for purl
• Cast on (knitting starting row)
• Decrease by 3s (catch three loops in a single knit or purl)
• Decrease by 2s (catch two loops in a single knit or purl)

Crochet stitches used:

• Slip stitch

Pattern:
The project is worked with two worsted weight strands held together throughout. Or, if you don't care for that, you can use a bulky yarn, I think.  Anyway, I used two. Also, this is worked up in rows, not rounds.

1. To start.

• Cast on 45 loops (including the starting slip knot).
• Work 1 row of purl stitches, aka the P in knitting patterns.

2. Now for the ribbing.  Work the following two rows 2X.

• 3K, 2P across to end. End with a 2P. (This row marks the FRONT, or outside of the hat.)
• 2K, 3P across to end. End with a 3P.

3. Next is the repeating hat pattern, worked until the hat is the desired height. I repeated these two rows 12X:

• K across to end.
• 2K, 3P across to end. End with a 3P.

4. When you have completed the 12th pattern set, it's time for a two row decrease. You'll work these two rows 1X.

• Decrease by 3Ks across to end.
• Decrease by 2Ps across to end, working one Decrease by 3Ps anywhere in the row, because math.

5. Now to close up the top of that hat! I spent quite a while figuring out how to do this, and it turned out great, but it's weird.  Anyway, here we go...

• Insert the size K hook in through the front of each of the remaining loops and drawing up as for knitting, collecting all these loops on the crochet hook. 
• Once you've completely freed your knitting needle, toss that aside and yarn over the hook and draw through all the loops.
• Draw this ring of loops tight and then work a slip stitch to secure it.  It should leave no hole in the middle. 

This does give you a little height on that center circle. If you don't care for that, just transfer the loops from the needle to the crochet hook instead of drawing up new loops. Then draw through all of those and continue on.


6. Now, for closing up the side, we have options. I worked two hats, but I did this part differently in each one, but both were great. So pick your favorite.

OPTION 1: For the first one, I just continued slip stitching down the side of the hat on the outside along the 3K/2P edges to join it into a hat shape (remember the 3K row side is the outside).

OPTION 2: For the second one, I measured out an unwieldy mass of yarn and cut it free. Then I whip-stitched down along the border of the 3K/2P edges.  I did my best to hide the stitches by working under the K stitches. At the bottom, I ended with the yarn pulled through to the back of the work (inside of the hat). You might have to pull the thread to the back on purpose. 


7. Finishing the bottom edge:
When I reached the bottom edge, I slip stitched around the front bottom, through the bit of the hat that likes to curl up when you knit (in all those purls).  If you chose option two, so long as you have your yarn pulled to the back, this should be no problem.


Pictures:

This is the front. Along the bottom is the ribbing. Only subtly different.

Close up of the top. Reduced in 2 rows.
If you don't like the bump, just transfer your final row of loops to the crochet hook directly.

This is the second hat, worked with the whipstitch option.

Alright, go forth and knit this hat and share in the comments!