I seem to be constantly knitting hats. They are, I suppose, my ‘go to’ project.  I have many friends whose default dial is stuck on scarves and even one who loves to make socks, but they’re too time consuming.  True, I always have at least one rib scarf on needles for easy cinema knitting – yes I do take my knitting to the cinema, and no, you can’t hear my needles clicking, they’re wood.  So, as you might have expected for our Chernobyl Children’s Trust collection I knitted up quite a few hats.

This is my pattern. I’ve knitted it up in several sizes so you have a few alternatives.  I researched loads of size charts to check and double check the relevant sizes and in truth find the largest hat, which is meant to be for an adult woman, rather big (see my previous post, ‘Where Has My Creativity Gone‘).  I know I’m vertically challenged but I definitely don’t have a small head, having even managed to hide some stash yarn in there somewhere, sshhh.

You can make the hats in the round if you prefer, just remember to place a marker at the beginning of your row when you join and to knit all of your rows when you change to your larger needles instead of plain and purl.  My hats are all worked in 4 row stripes but you can chose to do yours plain or have some fun and make it as multicolored as you like.

Hat Sizes

Child 3 – 5 yrs

Child 6 – 8 yrs

Teen

Adult Woman

Tension

14 stitches x 19 rows

Abbreviations

k – knit

p – purl

st(s) – stitch(es)

kfb – knit into the front and the back of the next stitch

k2tog – knit the next 2 stitches together

Materials

2 x 50g balls of any standard chunky

5.5mm & 6.5mm needles

Darning needle

Pattern

Using thumb method and 5.5mm cast on 62 (66, 70, 74) stitches.

Work 5 (5, 7, 7) rows in 2×2 rib – (knit 2 stitches, purl 2 stitches repeat these 4 stitches )

Next Row

For 1st size – Rib 20, kfb, rib 20, kfb, rib 20 (64sts)

For 2nd Size – Work row as before

For 3rd Size – Rib 23, kfb, rib 22, kfb, rib 23 (72sts)

For 4th Size – Rib 23, k2tog, rib 24, k2tog, rib 23 (72sts)

Change to 6.5mm needles

If  you want to work in the same strip sequence as me knit the next 4 rows in the same shade as the rib and then switch to your other shade.  Continue to knit 4 rows with each shade until hat is the correct height.  If your hat finishes with slightly more rows than the 4 you may find it looks better to finish off with the colour you completed the last stripe in.  Carry the yarn up the side of your work if possible rather than cutting.

Work in stocking stitch until work measures 5″ (5.5″, 6″, 7″)

Crown

For 2nd, 3rd and 4th sizes work the following rows

2nd Size – K20, k2tog, k22, k2tog, k20 (64sts), work 1 row purl

3rd Size – Work across row as follows k7, k2tog to end (64sts), work 1 row purl

4th Size – Work across row as follows k7, k2tog to end (64sts), work 1 row purl

All 4 sizes

Decrease Row 1 – k6, k2tog to end (56sts)

Next and every wrong side row purl

Decrease Row 2 – k5, k2tog (48sts)

Decrease Row 3 – k4, k2tog (40sts)

Decrease Row 4 – K3, K2tog (32sts)

Decrease Row 5 – K2, K2tog (24sts)

Decrease Row 6 – k1, k2tog (16sts) – For 3rd and 4th sizes leave approximately 12″ of yarn, cut and thread through remaining 16sts using a blunt tipped darning needle to secure.  Sew seam

For 1st & 2nd Sizes – Work 1 more decreasing row k2tog to end (8sts).  Leave approximately 12″ of yarn, cut and thread through remaining 8sts using a blunt tipped darning needle to secure. Sew seam