Knitting Kninja

The pattern for this hat is long overdue, so I thought I’d post it before we head off into the wild blue yonder on our move. Gabriel was kind enough to pose for some pictures for me, so you can see what this hat actually looks like when it’s worn. I know there are plenty of simple hat patterns out there, but I’m posting this one because there is a dearth of kid sized hat patterns. When I got the skein of Kersti used to make this hat, I searched and searched to try to see what size kid hats are normally made at, and I found baby, toddler, and adult hats, but nary a hat for a child over the age of about four. The Koigu Kersti is pretty stretchy, so this hat should fit anyone from about the age of five up to a small headed adult. (I happen to be a small headed adult, so the hat fits me. I’d make it slightly longer for myself, though.) Gabriel, shown here, is eight. This is a perfect first pattern for any new knitter, because you use almost every skill you will need in making more complex projects. With that in mind, I’ll write it out in full, no abbreviations, with links to Knitting Help on each new technique used.

Enough chatter! On to the pattern!

Yarn: One skein Koigu Kersti
Possible subs: Any worsted weight yarn, though it should be one with a bit of stretch
Needles: 16″ U.S. size 6 circular needles (4.25mm), one set size 6 double pointed needles
Notions: one stitch marker

Cast on 100 stitches. Join to knit in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches. You do not want a moebius hat! Place a stitch marker at the join. This just means that you slip on a little ring or even a small knotted piece of yarn in a contrasting color to mark where each row begins.

Knit one stitch and purl the next. Repeating these two stitches will form K1,P1 ribbing. Knit for one inch in ribbing, ending at your stitch marker.

This next section is the easiest part. You simply knit without purling until you have an open tube measuring 4 inches in length, again ending at the stitch marker. This is more than ample time to get you used to the knit stitch, which is the main thing you’ll need to know in knitting any object.

One the next row, knit for 8 stitches. Slip the next stitch onto your right hand needle without knitting it. Knit the following stitch, then pass the slipped stitch over the top of the knit stitch. This will create a left slanting decrease, commonly abbreviated in knitting patterns as SSK. You can use any of the techniques shown on this page, however, so feel free to experiment. The important thing is to decrease after every 8 knit stitches for one row, and to use a consistent method of decrease.

From here on out, you’re going to be using the same decrease stitch on each row, but since you’re losing stitches, there are two things to keep in mind. One: On each new row, there will be one less knit stitch before you decrease. You decreased after every 8 knit stitches on the first decrease row. One the second, it will be after every 7 stitches, and so on. Two: You are eventually going to have too few stitches to keep knitting on 16 inch circulars. This is where the double pointed needles come in.

When, after a few rows, your knitting starts to feel a bit tight, take out your double pointed needles. Sets of dpns usually come with either four or five needles. It doesn’t matter which of these numbers you use, but you need to transfer your stitches onto one less than the total number of needles. Try to distribute the stitches as evenly as possible. There is a tutorial on using dpns here. Keep decreasing as before until you have five stitches left. Then carefully slip all of the stitches off of the needles and slip the end of the yarn, leaving a long tail. Thread the tail on a tapestry needle and run the needle through the remaining five stitches and pull tight with the tail dangling on the inside of the hat. Knot and then weave in the end and clip it. Weave in the other dangling end and you’re done! Voila! You have a hat.

As always, if you have any difficulty or find any errors with what I’ve written here, let me know.  I’ll help in any way I can.  I’d also love to see pictures of your finished creation!