Deb's Easy Hat Pattern

Materials:  Any yarn will work!! Here are some approximate yardages based on the gauge of the yarn and a 22" head circumference:

3 sts/inch   120 yards

4 sts/inch     170 yards

5 sts/inch    215 yards 

6 sts/inch    300 yards

Needles: 16” circular AND double pointed needles in size to go with yarn (if I’m unsure, I’ll start with the needles recommended on the yarn’s ball band, or 1 size smaller; if I don’t like the gauge swatch, I’ll try other needles.) Just realize "the more stitches the inch the more yardage you need".

Measure your head and write down the number here:                       inches.

Knit a gauge swatch; write down the gauge here:                             stitches per inch.

 The magic formula: _________head inches times                  stitches per inch
minus 10% equals  total {now round this number to the nearest increment of 10 stitches} = the number of stitches to cast on.

 For Example:  Head = 22 inches around.

Yarn gauge (Brown Sheep Burly Spun) = 2.5 stitches per inch.

Formula: {(22 x 2.5) - 10%} rounded to nearest increment of 10 = 50 stitches

To Begin:

Using your circular 16”  needle, cast on the number of stitches indicated above. Join your knitting being careful not to twist the cast on edge. (To do this, I lay my knitting on a table in the shape of the letter “U” with the ball-yarn coming off the top of the right needle. Then I arrange all the cast on stitches so they are neatly on the inside of the “U”.  Next, I slip a marker on the right needle so I know where the beginning of the round is. Then I carefully pick up my knitting without twisting or turning any stitches, and work the first stitch on the left needle, tugging on the new stitch a bit to close the gap.) Choose your brim trim style, and work it for 1 to 2 inches. Then knit every round until the hat is tall enough (this varies by person, so take it to a mirror and try it on with the needles still in it. It is tall enough when it comes down to where you like it. Usually between 4 to 6 inches—the off-white hat in the shop is 5 inches.)

Begin decrease rounds:

(Remember to change to double-pointed needles when you feel you are “pulling” the stitches around your circular needle.)

Divide the stitches into units of 10 stitches. Use markers (or bits of spare yarn) to mark each unit of 10 stitches (have these bits look different than the marker that indicates the beginning of the round.) The decrease rounds look like this:

1st dec round: *Knit 8 stitches, Knit stitches 9 and 10 together * Repeat from * around to beginning of round.

                        Knit one round

2nd dec round: *Knit 7 stitches, Knit stitches 8 and 9 together * Repeat from * around to beginning of round.

                        Knit one round

 3rd dec round: *Knit 6 stitches, Knit stitches 7 and 8 together * Repeat from * around to                             beginning of round.  

                        Knit one round

 4th dec round: *Knit stitches, except the second-to-the-last and the last within a grouping; and then knit the second-to-the-last and the last stitches together. Then knit 1 round.

Repeat the 4th decrease round until you are left with only 1 stitch from each grouping. Cut yarn, leaving a 9” tail and thread yarn through remaining stitches, as you take those stitches off your needle(s). Gently pull stitches together and weave yarn end through underside stitches. (Don’t forget to also weave in your cast-on tail.)

Variations on Deb’s Hat Pattern:

By following the above pattern, your hat will end up with a rolled brim. If you do not want the brim to roll, you must treat it with some kind of edge treatment.

Examples of edge treatments are:

K1 P1—this edging is very common. Just remember that the total stitches must be divisible by 2. This produces a ribbed edge that is very flexible.

K2P2—this is another very common edging. Remember that now the total stitches must be divisible by 4. This also produces a ribbed edge that is very flexible.

Seed Stitch—this is a K1P1 done over an odd number of stitches (the odd number ensures that you will stack Ks on top of Ps etc over each round). The edge is decorative and interesting (especially if you are using a thick/thin yarn) but not ribbed, as it goes vertically as KPKPKP...etc. Be sure to increase one stitch to make the total number of stitches an even increment of 10 for the rest of the hat.

Garter Stitch– this is the stitch most folks use for making scarves! Just remember that when you do it in the round, you *knit one round, then purl one round* then repeat from *s until it is wide enough. It gives an interesting horizontal texture to the edge.