Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Striped Slouchy Hat



It's hat making time and my obsession is in full swing. I just completed my first slouchy hat and it was super easy. It amazes me how many different hats you can make from a single basic patter.



I used to get stressed that patterns looked so complicated, what with all the lace and bobbles and such. But the truth is I just like making hats and I really like making this one.



Sorry i'm not a good pattern writer. :-(



Yarn = Vickie Howell Sheep(ish) in Chartreuse(ish) & Gun Metal(ish). One skein each



Needle = 3.75 - 16in - circular needle



Now I use this needle because it works perfectly for my basic hat pattern, no magic loop or 5dpns. Not that those aren't awesome, but for super easy continuous knitting for 3/4 of the hat it's the 16in. You can adjust for your own awesome knitting style!



5 stitch markers, scissors & a darning needle of course.



Cast on 100 stitches, place one marker after each 20 stitches. Close your circle. Now i know that you're supposed to cast on with smaller needles and do your ribbing and switch to larger needles but ..................... I never do. I used to forget, but now I don't even try.



5x5 ribbing for 1.5 inches



now for the fun



Increase by 1 stitch on every other stitch all the way around however you like to increase. I like to K1 f&b (knit one in the front and back of ever other stitch). You will have 150 stitches on your needle (30 between each marker).



Now knit in the strip pattern you like best, get crazy if you're feeling it. For this hat I did 5 rows per color. But I always do 5 rows per color. It's just bold enough to be cute but not quite 1970's tube sock. Just a quick note to those who don't do stripes that often, to achieve 5 rows you'll knit 4 visible rows and then change colors so that when you knit your next row in the contrasting color you prior color will drop down and create you 5th row. Yay!



Go on in this manner until you have knitted 7-8 inches from CAST ON (depending on your hair) once there you gonna wanna decrease every other row before and after each stitch marker. Yes I know its a rapid decrease, but it's a slouch hat not a dunce cap. I like this decrease.



After stitch marker = s1, k1, psso



Before stitch marker = k2tog



Continue your decrease until you have 9 between each marker. Cut yarn, leaving a tail of about 10 inches. Use your darning needle to pick up the stitches left on the needle and close the circle.



You can tie off, or weave to secure your circle and after some cleaning up on the inside.......Boom, you gotta hat. Yay!



Let me know how it went.

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