Kids' Reversible Cocoon Hat

Kids' Reversible Cocoon Hat - right side

My five-year-old picked out this yarn ages ago, and has been bugging me to make something with it ever since. And after rejecting my first two designs (what can I say? the kid knows what he wants!), this fun hat finally passed muster. Even better, the wrong side of the design is just as charming as the right side, so the child you knit it for can wear it either way!

Kids' Reversible Cocoon Hat - wrong side

Sizes: Ages 18 months - 3 years (Ages 4 - 6; Ages 7 - 10)

Yarn: Cascade Yarns Cascade 220 Fingering (100% Peruvian Highland Wool; 273 yards [250 meters]/50 grams); #9430 Forest Green - one skein

Needles: 16" circular needle in size 3, one set of double pointed needles, also in size 3

Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch marker

Gauge: 28 stitches = 4 inches

So let's do this thang! First, using your circular needle, cast on 128 (144; 144) stitches, place marker, and join in round. Then we'll knit 1" (1.75"; 1.25") in a k1, p1 ribbing. And then we'll get right to the main pattern, which is Cocoon Stitch from page 131 of Barbara G. Walker's A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns, except adapted for the round. As you can see, there is no difference in pattern between the three sizes. And here we go!

Rows 1 & 2: * k1, p1, k1, p5; rep from *

Row 3: * k1, p1 under running thread before next stitch, (p1, k1, p1) in next stitch, p1 under running thread before next stitch, k1, k5tog *

Rows 4 - 8: * k1, p5, k1, p1 *

Row 9: * k1, k5tog, k1, p1 under running thread before next stitch, (p1, k1, p1) in next stitch, p1 under running thread before next stitch *

Rows 10 -  12: repeat row 1

Knit rows 1 - 12 three times, and then knit rows 1 - 8 once more (knit rows 1 - 12 three times, and then knit rows 1 - 8 once more; knit rows 1 - 12 four times, and then knit rows 1 - 8 once more). And once that's done, it's time to begin the decreases, which will be the same for all sizes.

Decrease Row 1: * k1, k5tog, k1, p1 under running thread before next stitch, (p1, k1, p1) in next stitch, p1 under running thread before next stitch, k1, k5tog, k1, (k1, p1, k1) in next stitch *

Decrease Rows 2 & 3: * k1, p1, k1, p5, k1, p1, k4 *

You may want to switch to your dpns about now...

Decrease Row 4: * k1, p1, k1, p5, k1, p1, k1, slip 2 together knitwise-k1-p2sso *

Decrease Row 5: * k1, p1, k1, p5, k1, p1, k2 *

Decrease Row 6: slip first stitch from first dpn to last dpn. Then, * p1, k1, p5, k1, p1, slip 2 together knitwise-k1-p2sso *

Decrease Row 7: * (k1, p1, k1) in stitch, k1, k5tog, k1, p1, k1 *

Decrease Row 8: * k3, slip 2 together knitwise-k1-p2sso, p1, k1 *

Decrease Row 9: * slip 2 together knitwise-k1-p2sso, k1, p1, k1 *

Decrease Row 10: * k1, slip 2 together knitwise-k1-p2sso *

Decrease Row 11: * k2tog *

Clip tail and thread through final 8 (9; 9) stitches. Pull tight, knot, and tuck in ends.

Right side

Wrong side