Little Bowknot Hat

Little Bowknot Hat

Ordinarily, I tend to think that my yarns need to match in any given project; I'm much less likely to pick up two completely different skeins in different colors than I am to get two different shades of the exact same yarn. When I saw the gray-ish yarn that I used in this pattern, however, there was only one skein left, and it was on closeout so I knew there would never be more. So I decided to go out on a limb and knit it with a completely different yarn. And luckily, the ropiness of the gray yarn and the softness of the blue created even more texture in this mid-weight, springtime hat, and I ended up loving the results. Or in other words, this is a perfect pattern for a couple of skeins of dk-weight stash yarn that you've never quite figured out what to do with before.

The little bowknots, close up.

Yarn: Plymouth Yarn VITA (85% Recycled Cotton, 15% Recycled Cashmere; 136 yards [124 meters]/50 grams); #120 Blue Mist (color A) - one skein & Plymouth Yarn Grass (65% Cotton, 35% Hemp; 115 yards [105 meters]/50 grams); #9088 Multi (color B) - one skein

Needles: one 16" circular needle in size 5, one 16" circular needle in size 7, one set of double-pointed needles (dpns), also in size 7

Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch marker

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

Using color A and your size 5 circular needle, cast on 110 stitches loosely, place marker, and join in round. Knit 1 inch in a k1, p1 ribbing, and then switch to your size 7 needle and knit one row around. Switch to color B, and knit one more row around. And now that these rows are complete, let's move on to the main pattern, which is a small, two-color adaptation of Bowknot Stitch from page 133 of Barbara G. Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns. So let's get started!

Row 1: using color B, * k5, p5; rep from *

Row 2: using color A, knit

Row 3: using color B, knit

Row 4: using color B, repeat row 1

Row 5: using color A, * k7, insert needle into front of next stitch 5 rows below and draw it up in a loop; slip loop onto left-hand needle and knit it together with next stitch; k2 *

Row 6: using color A, * p5, k5 *

Row 7: using color B, knit

Row 8: using color A, knit

Row 9: using color A, repeat row 6

Row 10: using color B, * k2, insert needle into front of next stitch 5 rows below and draw it up in a loop; slip loop onto left-hand needle and knit it together with next stitch; k7 *

Work rows 1 - 10 four times , and then work rows 1 - 5 once more. Now it's time to move on to our decreases, which go as follows:

Decrease Row 1: using color A, * p5, ssk, k1, k2tog *

Row 2: using color B, knit

Row 3: using color A, knit

Row 4: using color A, * p5, sl1-k2tog-psso *

You may want to switch to your dpns about now. Oh, and you can clip your tail for color B, since you're done with it.

Row 5: using color A, * k2, insert needle into front of next stitch 5 rows below and draw it up in a loop; slip loop onto left-hand needle and knit it together with next stitch; k3 *

Row 6: * ssk, k1, k2tog, k1 *

Row 7: * sl1-k2tog-psso, k1 * 

Row 8: * k2tog *

Row 9: k1, * k2tog *

Clip tail, thread through final 6 stitches, and pull tight. Thread to inside of hat and knot. Tuck in ends.