Every winter I make my husband, Adam, a new hat. Two years ago I made him the 70's Ski Hat and three years ago was the Almighty Alpaca Hat. Years before went unrecorded on these pages, but are still in his head wear rotation.
Admittedly, I was a little remiss last winter with Adam. Instead of making him a hat, I was frantically knitting my way through my last trimester of pregnancy, convinced that my baby would freeze to death without a chest full of handknit sweaters and blankets. This year I didn't want anyone to be left out and so decided that we would all get new hats. Actually, not just new hats, but new cashmere hats.
I think Jade Sapphire's cashmere might come from magical goats. How else to explain the luxurious softness and the gentle fuzzy halo that glows around the yarn? The hand dyed color is just as magical. Complicated, subtle and rich, it inspires combinations that you've never dreamed of!
I didn't want our hats to be super matchy-match, instead I wanted them to reflect the personality of the wearers. Adam's is relaxed and a little funky, Bear's is cuddly and a bit quirky, and mine is perfect...just joking!
Knit all three to make a family's winter extra special or give them individually to friends and family whose heads might need some cozying up!
The Materials
- Jade Sapphire's Zageo 6 ply Cashmere, 100% Mongolian Cashmere. These colors, from the left, are Henna, Burnt Toast, Masala, and Silver Pearl.
- The Dimple Hat requires 2 skeins. (I used 2 of the Masala.)
- The Striped Flap Hat requires two skeins and a small amount for the I-cord ties. (I used the Henna and Burnt Toast for the hat and some leftover Masala for the ties.)
- The Baby Chariot Hat requires one skein and a small amount for a pom pom. (I used Silver Pearl for the hat and Masala for the pom pom.)
- A US #5, 16 inch circular needle
- A set of US #5 double pointed needles
- A Susan Bates Pom Pom Maker for the Baby Chariot Hat
Woman's Dimple Hat
Gauge
6 1/2 stitches = 1 inch in dimple stitch
Finished Size
19 inches in circumference
Cuff
Using a US #5, 16 inch circular needle, cast on 112 stitches.
Place a marker and join for working in the round, being careful to not twist the stitches.
Round 1: *K2, p2, repeat from * to end of round.
Repeat Round 1 until piece measures 1 1/4 inches from the cast on edge.
Dimple Stitch
Preparatory Round: *K8, m1, repeat from * to end of round. (126 stitches)
Rounds 1-3: *K3, slip 3, repeat from * to end of round.
Rounds 4-6: Knit.
Round 7: K4, *bring the right needle under the 3 slipped strands, knit the next stitch, pass the 3 slipped strands over, k5, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, bring the right needle under the 3 slipped strands, knit the next stitch, pass the 3 slipped strands over, k1.
Round 8: Knit.
Rounds 9-11: *Slip 3, k3, repeat from * to end of round.
Rounds 12-14: Knit.
Round 15: K1, *bring the right needle under the 3 slipped strands, knit the next stitch, pass the 3 slipped strands over, k5, repeat from * to last 5 stitches, bring the right needle under the 3 slipped strands, knit the next stitch, pass the 3 slipped strands over, k4.
Round 16: Knit.
Repeat Rounds 1-16 three more times.
Repeat Rounds 1-12.
(Tips for the Dimple Stitch)
- When you "K3, slip 3, repeat", after you slip 3 and are knitting the next stitch, the yarn across the inside of the work should be pretty loose. To ensure this, slide the last 4 stitches on the right needle over to the right so that the yarn has to stretch a bit to knit the next stitch.
- When you "bring the right needle under the 3 slipped strands", it will look like this:
- When you "pass the 3 slipped strands over", put the left needle under the three slipped stitches and bring them over the knit stitch and off the right needle.
Crown
Round 1: Slip 1, *k1, k2tog, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, k1, remove marker, k2tog, replace marker. (84 stitches)
Round 2: *K2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (42 stitches)
Round 3: Repeat Round 2.
Cut the yarn and thread it through the remaining stitches. Bring the tail to the inside of the hat and weave it in.
Man's Striped Flap Hat
Gauge
6 stitches = 1 inch in stockinette stitch
Finished Size
22 inches in circumference
Notes
Designate "Color B" as the color you want the I-cord trim to be. (I used "Burnt Toast" as Color A, "Henna" as Color B, and "Masala" as Color C.)
When you knit the ear flaps bring the yarn up the side of the flap when you change colors. And when you knit the hat bring the yarns up the inside of the work. Keep the yarn a little bit relaxed when you pick up a new color.
Ear Flaps
With two US #5 double pointed needles and Color A, cast on 2 stitches.
Row 1 (right side): Knit into the front and back (kfb), kfb. (4 stitches)
Row 2 (wrong side): Kfb, purl to last stitch, kfb. (6 stitches)
With Color B...
Row 3: Kfb, knit to last stitch, kfb. (8 stitches)
Row 4: Kfb, purl to last stitch, kfb. (10 stitches)
With Color A...
Rows 5 and 6: Repeat Rows 3 and 4. (14 stitches)
With Color B...
Row 7: Kfb, knit to last stitch, kfb. (16 stitches)
Row 8: K1, purl to last stitch, k1.
With Color A...
Rows 9 and 10: Repeat Rows 7 and 8. (18 stitches)
Repeat Rows 7-10. (22 stitches)
Repeat Rows 7 and 8. (24 stitches)
*Switch colors,
Next Row: Knit.
Next Row: K1, purl to last stitch, k1.
Repeat from * 7 more times, ending with two Color B rows.
With Color A...
Next Row: Kfb, knit to last stitch, kfb. (26 stitches)
Next Row: K1, purl to last stitch, k1.
With Color B...
Next Row: Kfb, knit to last stitch, kfb. (28 stitches)
Next Row: Kfb, purl to last stitch, kfb. (30 stitches)
Cut the yarns and set this ear flap aside.
Make another ear flap identical to this first one. Use a US #5, 16 inch circular needle to make the second ear flap, and do not cut the Color A yarn at the end.
The Body of the Hat
With Color A, knit across the 30 stitches of the second ear flap.
With the wrong side of the ear flap facing you, cable cast on 52 stitches.
Being careful that the cast on stitches aren't twisted, knit across the 30 stitches of the first ear flap (the one that is on the double pointed needle).
With the wrong side of the ear flap facing you, cable cast on 20 stitches.
Place a marker and, being careful that these last cast on stitches aren't twisted, join the work into the round.
Continuing with Color A, knit 1 round.
*With Color B, knit 2 rounds.
With Color A, knit 2 rounds.
Repeat from * until piece measures 5 inches from the cable cast on edge, ending with the second round of either color.
Crown
Continuing the stripe pattern,
Round 1: *K9, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (120 stitches)
Round 2 and every even round: Knit.
Round 3: *K8, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (108 stitches)
Round 5: *K7, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (96 stitches)
Round 7: *K6, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (84 stitches)
Round 9: *K5, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (72 stitches)
Round 11: *K4, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (60 stitches)
Changing to double pointed needles,
Round 13: *K3, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (48 stitches)
Round 15: *K2, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (36 stitches)
Round 17: *K1, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (24 stitches)
Round 19: *K2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (12 stitches)
Knit 1 round.
Cut the yarns and, with the last yarn you knit with, thread the tail through the remaining stitches. Bring both tails to the inside of the hat and weave them in.
I-Cord Edge
With Color B, cast 3 stitches onto a US# 5 double pointed needle. (Or if you want to be very neat you can cast on using a provisional cast on so that you can graft the two ends of the I-cord together using the kitchener stitch. Otherwise, when you are finished you will just sew the two ends together.)
Starting at the right top corner of the left ear flap, knit an attached I-cord, picking up 20 stitches across the center back of the hat. (FYI: the white yarn in this photo is my provisional cast on.)
Continue the attached I-cord, picking up 50 stitches around the right ear flap.
Picking up 52 stitches across the front cast on edge, continue the attached I-cord.
Pick up 50 stitches around the left ear flap and connect the two I-cord ends, either by sewing or grafting them together.
Ties
With Color C and a double pointed needle, pick up 3 stitches at the base of either ear flap.
Knit an 8 inch I-cord and bind off.
Repeat for the other ear flap and weave in all your ends.
Baby Chariot Hat
Gauge
6 stitches = 1 inch in stockinette stitch
Finished Size
18 inches in circumference, stretched
Ear Flap
Using a US #5, 16 inch circular needle, cast on 70 stitches.
For this section, you will work back and forth in rows, turning the work at the end of each row.
Row 1 (right side): *K2, p2, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, k2.
Row 2 (wrong side): *P2, k2, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, p2.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 3 1/2 inches from the cast on edge. End with a right side row.
Cuff
With the wrong side facing you, use a Cable Cast On to add 38 stitches. (108 stitches total)
With the right side facing you, place a marker, and, being careful to not twist the stitches, join for working in the round.
Round 1: *K2, p2, repeat from * to end of round.
Repeat Round 1 until piece measures 1 1/4 inches from the Cable Cast On edge.
Body of the Hat and Crown
Knit every round until piece measures 4 inches from the Cable Cast On edge.
Next Round: *K7, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (96 stitches)
Knit 1 round.
Next Round: *K6, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (84 stitches)
Knit 1 round.
Next Round: *K5, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (72 stitches)
Knit 1 round.
Next Round: *K4, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (60 stitches)
Knit 1 round.
As you knit the next round, change to the US #5 double pointed needles.
Next Round: *K3, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (48 stitches)
Knit 1 round.
Next Round: *K2, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (36 stitches)
Knit 1 round.
Next Round: *K1, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (24 stitches)
Knit 1 round.
Next Round: *K2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (12 stitches)
Next Round: *K2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (6 stitches)
Cut the yarn and thread it through the remaining 6 stitches. Pull the yarn tight and weave the end into the inside of the hat.
Pom Pom
With a Pom Pom Maker, use the second smallest template and a contrast yarn (I used what was left over from the Dimple Hat) to make a pom pom. Leave tails when you tie the pom pom together, and use them to attach the pom pom to the top of the hat.
Finished! My family feels really spruced up in our hats. I hope yours does too!
