I'm Lichen This Hat

I'm Lichen This Hat
No, really. I'm really, really, REALLY lichen it.

If recent years have taught me anything, it's that I am one of about six Americans who would rather eat rocks than watch a televised singing competition. Of course, I do have one odd exception to my music-free reality television preferences, the always-delightful The Sing-Off (I'm also lying when I say it's always delightful - 2014's weird Christmas special was no good. I miss Sara Bareilles). What's my point here? OH YEAH, PUNS! I think I like the show because of the constant and terrible puns that are constantly coming forth from host Nick Lachey's mouth. And, based on the name I came up with for this pattern, I also think the nice folks on TV's best a cappella singing competition program might tap me as a writer if the show ever gets another season.

Speaking of this hat, I got the design idea from a strange, ruched-looking entrance way I pass by every day on my way to my kids' schools, but you're just going to have to take my word for it because I've been too lazy to take a picture. I did get a lovely shot of some similarly-colored lichen, though, which made for a better pattern name anyway. You can find that below!

Yarn: Malabrigo Mecha (100% Merino Superwash Wool; 130 yards [120 meters]/100 grams); #031 Mostaza - one skein

A better view of the back, cute little
braid and all!

Needles: One 16" circular needle in size US 10, one 16" circular needle in size US 11 needle, one set of double pointed needles in size US 11, and a cable needle (cn) or double pointed needle for cabling

Notions: Tapestry needle, 4 stitch markers

Gauge: 12 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette on size US 11 needles

Which brings us to the pattern! Using your size 10 circular needle, then, cast on 66 stitches loosely, place marker, and join in round. Then we'll work a few edging rows, for which you'll need the following terminology. Remember you can always skip your cable needle, if you'd like.

back cross (bc): slip 2 stitches to cn and hold in back; k2, k2 from cn

front cross (fc): slip 2 stitches to cn and hold in front; k2, k2 from cn

And once you've got that covered, we'll continue like so:

I'm also lichen this lichen!

Edging Rows 1, 3, & 5: knit until you have 8 stitches left in row, p1, k6, p1

Edging Row 2: knit until you have 8 stitches left in row, p1, bc, k2, p1

Edging Row 4: knit until you have 8 stitches left in row, p1, k2, fc, p1

Knit edging rows 1 - 5. Transfer work to your size 11 circular needle. And then we'll move to the main pattern, which goes as follows. And, as a note, it's important to leave the yarn behind your six slipped stitches loose-ish, but it's not as important as it would be in mosaic knitting, so you don't need to stress about it too much! Anyway, let's work like so:

Row 1: knit until you have 8 stitches left in row, p1, bc, k2, p1

Rows 2 & 3: knit until you have 8 stitches left in row, p1, slip 6 with yarn in back (sl6 wyib), p1

Row 4: knit until you have 8 stitches left in row, p1, k2, fc, p1

Rows 5 & 6: knit until you have 8 stitches left in row, p1, sl6 wyib, p1

Knit row 1 - 6 four times, and then knit rows 1 - 4 once more. Now, we'll knit one marker placement row (which will also serve as a decrease row), as follows: 

Marker Placement Row: k1, ssk, k19, k2tog, place marker, k10, place marker, ssk, k19, k2tog, place marker, k1, p1, sl6 wyib, p1 (62 stitches)

Knit this row, and then we'll continue in our decrease as follows:

Decrease Row 1: k1, ssk, knit until you're two stitches before first marker, k2tog, slip marker, knit until you reach next marker, slip marker, ssk, knit until you're two stitches before next marker, k2tog, slip marker, k1, p1, sl6 wyib, p1 (-4 stitches)

Decrease Row 2: k1, ssk, knit until you're two stitches before first marker, k2tog, slip marker, knit until you reach next marker, slip marker, ssk, knit until you're two stitches before next marker, k2tog, slip marker, k1, p1, bc, k2, p1 (-4 stitches)

Decrease Rows 3 & 4: k1, ssk, knit until you're two stitches before first marker, k2tog, slip marker, knit until you reach next marker, slip marker, ssk, knit until you're two stitches before next marker, k2tog, slip marker, k1, p1, sl6 wyib, p1 (-4 stitches) 

Decrease Row 5: k1, ssk, knit until you're two stitches before first marker, k2tog, slip marker, knit until you reach next marker, slip marker, ssk, knit until you're two stitches before next marker, k2tog, slip marker, k1, p1, k2, fc, p1 (-4 stitches)

Decrease Row 6: k1, ssk, knit until you're two stitches before first marker, k2tog, slip marker, knit until you reach next marker, slip marker, ssk, knit until you're two stitches before next marker, k2tog, slip marker, k1, p1, sl6 wyib, p1 (-4 stitches)

Knit decrease rows 1 - 6 once, and knit decrease rows 1 - 3 once more, remembering to transfer work to your dpns once it gets too small for the circulars. Then we'll knit one final row, as follows, during which you can remove any extra stitch markers you may still have in place:

Final Row: k2, k2tog, k10, ssk, k2, p1, sl6 wyib, p1

Complete this final row, after which you should have 24 stitches left. Our next step will be to divide our remaining 24 stitches into two groups of 12. We'll do this by knitting the first two stitches of the next row, and then transferring the following 12 stitches to a dpn for grafting. Place remaining 12 stitches on a second dpn (and yes, this means that the end of your row will end up between the tenth and eleventh of those twelve stitches, and not at the end, and those first two knit stitches will be the last two stitches of these twelve). Using the Kitchener stitch, graft these final 24 stitches together. Tuck in ends and block, if desired.