Double Pom Earflap Hat

Double Pom Earflap Hat

As I've mentioned before, every once in a while, one of my children decides that they need something new and then pesters me until I make it for them. Such was the case with this hat. My three-year-old has a friend with a double pompom hat; hence, he needed one too. Luckily, he is less picky than my five-year-old, and let me pick the stitch pattern. And this two-color design looks fantastic in person and adapts perfectly to the round. Oh, and did I mention that I've sized this hat to fit everyone from toddler to adult as well???*

* I've also updated the marker placement rows of this pattern as of January 14, 2016 (they were missing a marker!).

Sizes: Toddler (Child; Small Adult; Large Adult)

Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash (100% Superwash Wool; 220 yards [200 meters]/100 grams); #809 Really Red – one skein (color A) and #871 White - one skein (color B) (all sizes)

The pattern. It's a winner!

Needles: One 16" circular needle in size US 7, one set of double-pointed needles (dpns), also in size US 7 (for working the i-cords), one US 9 or larger needle for provisional cast on

Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch marker, stitch holders or scrap of yarn for holding stitches

Gauge: 20 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette on size 7 needles

So let's get started! Using your large needle, your color A yarn and a provisional cast on, cast on 90 (96; 102; 108) stitches, place marker, and join in round. Transfer work to your 16" size 7 circular needle and knit four rows around. Switch to your color B yarn and knit one row around. And now, it's time to begin our pattern, which is Cage Pattern from page 65 of Barbara G. Walker's A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns, and goes as follows:

Row 1: using your color A yarn, * slip 2 with yarn in back (wyib), k4; rep from * 

Row 2: using your color A yarn, * slip 2 wyib, p4 *

Rows 3 & 4: using your color B yarn, * k2, slip 1 wyib * 

Row 5: using your color A yarn, * k3, slip 2 wyib, k1 *

Row 6: using color A yarn, * p3, slip 2 wyib, p1 * 

Rows 7 & 8: using your color B yarn, * k2, slip 1 wyib * 

Knit rows 1 - 8 until hat measures roughly 4" (4.5"; 5.5"; 6.5") and you've just finished Row 2 or Row 6 of the pattern (side note: if you're making this hat for an older child, you may want to go up to 5" at this point). Then, knit the following transition rows:

Transition Row 1: using color B, knit

Transition Rows 2 - 5: using color A, knit

Once these rows are done, you can go ahead and clip the tail of your color B yarn, since you're done with it. And now, if you're knitting the toddler or the small adult size, you'll need a transition row, which you'll find below. If you're knitting one of the other sizes, skip to the next instruction.

Toddler Transition Row: (k11, k2tog) 6 times, knit until end of row (84 stitches)

Small Adult Transition Row: (k11, k2tog) 3 times, k12, (k11, k2tog) 3 times, knit until end of round (96 stitches)

Once your transition row is done (if you needed one), we'll move on to the main decreases, which you'll find below. Notice that the final row is different for each size. Also, remember to switch to your dpns once you drop to about 80 stitches.

Decrease Row 1: * k10, k2tog * (77 stitches (88 stitches; 88 stitches; 99 stitches))

Decrease Row 2: * k9, k2tog * (70 stitches (80 stitches; 80 stitches; 90 stitches))

Decrease Row 3: * k8, k2tog * (63 stitches (72 stitches; 72 stitches; 81 stitches))

Decrease Row 4: * k7, k2tog * (56 stitches (64 stitches; 64 stitches; 72 stitches))

Decrease Row 5: * k6, k2tog * (49 stitches (56 stitches; 56 stitches; 63 stitches))

Decrease Row 6: * k5, k2tog * (42 stitches (48 stitches; 48 stitches; 54 stitches))

Decrease Row 7: * k4, k2tog * (35 stitches (40 stitches; 40 stitches; 45 stitches))

Decrease Row 8: * k3, k2tog * (28 stitches (32 stitches; 32 stitches; 36 stitches))

Decrease Row 9: * k2, k2tog * (21 stitches (24 stitches; 24 stitches; 27 stitches))

Decrease Row 10: * k1, k2tog * (14 stitches (16 stitches; 16 stitches; 18 stitches))

Final Decrease Row - Toddler Size: k3tog, (k2tog) twice, k3tog, (k2tog) twice (6 stitches)

Final Decrease Row - Child Size: (k3tog) twice, k2tog, (k3tog) twice, k2tog (6 stitches)

Final Decrease Row - Small Adult Size: (k3tog) twice, k2tog, (k3tog) twice, k2tog (6 stitches)

Final Decrease Row - Large Adult Size: * k3tog * (6 stitches) 

At this point, you will have 6 stitches left on your needles. Transfer the first 3 stitches of your final 6 stitches to a dpn, and transfer the second 3 stitches to a scrap of yarn to work later. Using your first 3 stitches, work 2" in a 3 stitch i-cord. Bind off. Transfer your second 3 stitches to a dpn and work 2" in a 3 stitch i-cord and bind off. You can use joining end of this yarn to cinch shut the little hole in the top of your hat by pulling it through the final 6 stitches as you ordinarily would. Once that's done, we'll move on to the bottom edge of the hat.

So, now it's time to transfer your provisional stitches back to your size 7 circular needle. Place row marker. Then we'll work the following marker placement row. Notice that I've given the instruction differently for each size.

Marker Placement Row - Toddler Size: p1 through back loop (p1-tbl), (k1-tbl, p1-tbl) 4 times, place first extra marker, k18, place marker, p1-tbl, (k1-tbl, p1-tbl) 17 times, place marker, k18, place marker, * p1-tbl, k1-tbl; rep from * until end of round

Marker Placement Row - Child Size: p1 through back loop (p1-tbl), (k1-tbl, p1-tbl) 4 times, place first extra marker, k20, place marker, p1-tbl, (k1-tbl, p1-tbl) 18 times, place marker, k20, place marker, * p1-tbl, k1-tbl; rep from * until end of round

Marker Placement Row - Small Adult Size: p1 through back loop (p1-tbl), (k1-tbl, p1-tbl) 4 times, place first extra marker, k20, place marker, p1-tbl, (k1-tbl, p1-tbl) 21 times, place marker, k20, place marker, * p1-tbl, k1-tbl; rep from * until end of round

Marker Placement Row - Large Adult Size: p1 through back loop (p1-tbl), (k1-tbl, p1-tbl) 4 times, place first extra marker, k22, place marker, p1-tbl, (k1-tbl, p1-tbl) 22 times, place marker, k22, place marker, * p1-tbl, k1-tbl; rep from * until end of round

And once that's done, we'll go to our ribbing, which goes as follows:

Ribbing Row 1: p1-tbl, * k1-tbl, p1-tbl * until you reach first marker, slip marker, p2, knit until you're two stitches from your second marker, p2, slip marker, p1-tbl, * k1-tbl, p1-tbl * until you reach third marker, slip marker, p2, knit until you're two stitches before fourth marker, p2, slip marker, * p1-tbl, k1-tbl * until end of round

Ribbing Row 2: p1-tbl, * k1-tbl, p1-tbl * until you reach first marker, slip marker, knit until second marker, slip marker, p1-tbl, * k1-tbl, p1-tbl * until you reach third marker, slip marker, knit until you reach fourth marker, slip marker, * p1-tbl, k1-tbl * until end of round

Knit ribbing rows 1 & 2 until ribbing measures roughly 1.5" (1.5"; 2"; 2") and you've just finished ribbing row 1. Clip your yarn tail, since you're going to be working your ear flaps next, before you do any binding off. And to do that, you're going to separate your stitches into four sets; first, transfer the stitches between your fourth and first markers to a scrap of yarn for safekeeping (so yes, the row break will be in the middle of those. You can remove your marker; you don't need it any more). Next, transfer the stitches between your first and second markers to a separate scrap. Do the same for the stitches between your second and third markers. Now, you should have just the stitches between your third and fourth markers left on your needle, which are also one of your earflaps. So let's work the earflap as follows:

Earflap Row 1 (right side): knit

Earflap Row 2: k2, purl until you have two stitches left in your row, k2

Knit earflap rows 1 & 2 two (three; three; three) times, and then we'll begin the decreases, as follows. Be sure to read the instructions following the decrease rows carefully before beginning, since you will be knitting different combinations of them depending on the size of hat you're making.

Decrease Row 1 (right side): k2, ssk, knit until you have four stitches left in row, k2tog, k2

Decrease Row 2 and all even decrease rows: k2, purl until you have two stitches left in your row, k2

Decrease Rows 3: k2, ssk, knit until you have four stitches left in row, k2tog, k2

Decrease Row 5: k2, (ssk) twice, knit until you have six stitches left in row, (k2tog) twice, k2

Decrease Row 7: k2, (ssk) twice, (k2tog) twice, k2

Decrease Row 9: (ssk) twice, (k2tog) twice

Toddler Size: knit decrease rows 3 - 9 once

Child Size: knit decrease rows 1 - 9 once

Small Adult Size: knit decrease rows 1 - 9 once

Large Adult Size: knit decrease rows 1 - 2 once, and then knit decrease rows 1 - 9 once

Knit the decrease rows required for whichever hat you're knitting and then transfer your final 4 stitches to dpn. Work in an i-cord until said i-cord measures 8" (8"; 10"; 10"). Repeat with other earflap (or in other words, the stitches that were between your first and second markers). Once the second earflap is done, transfer either of the two sets of stitches you have left to your needles for the bind off (you're going to do both of them; doesn't matter which one you start with!). Bind off loosely in pattern. To prettify the beginning and end of the bind off, stitch yarn tail into the earflap, so that it looks like a bind off stitch. I took pictures when I did it, in case you need any instruction. So here are the steps for the joining-end tail:

 1. Okay, this isn't really an instruction. This is just how it looks when you start.

 2. Insert needle through back of earflap, about where it looks like the bind off should join.

 3. Pull tight.

 4. Thread yarn tail through first bind off stitch again.

 5. You guessed it: pull tight. And yes, that is my husband holding the hat. He has many talents. Photography isn't one of them.

And here are the instructions for the end tail of the bind off:

1. Again, this photo is instructive. As you can see, my lovely assistant is holding the final bind off stitch (which has two stitches looped around it, as any good final bind off stitch should).

 2. Leaving the final stitch loose so you don't accidentally lose it, thread yarn from front to back of earflap, where it looks like the bind off should naturally attach.

 3. Insert needle down through the two stitches looped around the final bind off stitch, being careful not to insert the needle through the yarn of the final stitch. Pull it through, and then...

 4. ... yank out the final bind off stitch by tugging on the yarn. Now that you're holding the two looped stitches with your threaded yarn, you won't lose anything important by doing this.

 5. Insert needle through earflap again, in the same place (you can also insert it from inside-to-outside at this point, if you prefer).

6. Pull it tight, and then insert needle in the same place you did in instruction 3, down through the two looped stitches that were around your final bind off stitch. Pull tight.

Once you've prettified those stitches, it's time to do the exact same thing to the final section of stitches that still need to be bound off. Finally, make two pompoms and attach them to the 3-stitch i-cords at the top of the hat. Extra-finally, since the hat is now done, tuck in ends and, if desired, block.