Twilled Stripe Hat

Twilled Stripe Hat

There's no doubt about it: I fell in love with this Twilled Stripe stitch pattern the first time I used it, in the Twilled Stripe Arm Warmers. But when I got the idea for this hat, which uses a combination of Twilled Stripes and dropped stitches, I thought that the combo might add a new dimension to the stripes. And, indeed, this slouchy hat gives the stitch pattern a whole different look. Not that it wouldn't still match the arm warmers...

Yarn: Cascade Yarns Cascade 220 (100% Peruvian Highland Wool; 220 yards [200 meters]/100 grams); #8906 Blue Topaz - one skein

A closer view

Needles: One 16" circular needle in size US 5, one 16" circular needle in size US 7, and one set of double pointed needles, also in size US 7 (optional but recommended: one 20" or 24" circular needle in size 7)

Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch marker

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

So let's get this thing going! Before we start, I should point out that the magic doesn't really happen with this hat until you start dropping stitches, so don't worry if it just looks like an oversized rib at first. And now that the disclaimer has been issued, let's begin! Using your size 5 circular needle, cast on 108 stitches, place in marker, and join in round. Then, we'll knit the following ribbing row.

Ribbing row: * p1, k2; rep from *

Knit this ribbing row 6 times and switch to your size 7 16" circular needle. Now it's time to move on to the main pattern, which is a combination of Twilled Stripe from page 147 of Barbara G. Walker's A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns and some stitches we'll drop later. There's only one notation note, which goes a little something like this:

Left Twist (lt): skip 1 stitch and knit the second stitch in back loop, then slip the skipped stitch purlwise onto right-hand needle, then slide the knit stitch off of the needle as well

And now that the ribbing is complete and we have our notation down, let's knit one set-up row and then begin the pattern! So first, we'll knit this bad boy:

Set-Up Row: * p1, yo, k5, yo *

And then we'll proceed as follows. If you're going to switch to a longer needle (and you'll soon realize why you'd want to), do it when you're about a half of a pattern repeat into the design.

Row 1: * p2, lt, k3, p1 *

Row 2, 4, 6, & 8: * p2, k5, p1 *

Row 3: * p2, k1, lt, k2, p1 *

Row 5: * p2, k2, lt, k1, p1 *

Row 7: * p2, k3, lt, p1 *

Knit rows 1 - 8 three times, and then we'll begin our decreases. If you switched to a longer needle, you'll want to switch back to your size 7 16" right away. Also, when you hit the dropped stitches, you don't have to unravel them right away. It may be easier to go back and do that once the hat is finished, if you can stand the suspense of waiting!

Decrease row 1: * p2, ssk, k1, k2tog, p3, lt, k3, p1 *

Decrease rows 2 & 4: * p2, k3, p3, k5, p1 *

Decrease row 3: * p2, k3, p3, k1, lt, k2, p1 *

Decrease row 5: * p2, slip 2 together knitwise-k1-p2sso, p3, k2, lt, k1, p1 *

Decrease rows 6 & 8: * p2, k1, p3, k5, p1 *

Decrease row 7: * p2, k1, p3, k3, lt, p1 *

Decrease row 9: * p2, k1, p3, ssk, k1, k2tog, p1 *

Decrease row 10: * p2, k1, p3, k3, p1 *

You're going to want to switch to your dpns about now, if you haven't already...

Decrease row 11: * p1, drop next stitch from your needle and unravel it all the way down to the yo in the set-up row, k1, drop next stitch from your needle and unravel it all the way down to the yo in the set-up row, p2, k3, p1 *

Decrease row 12: * p1, k1, p2, k3, p1 *

Decrease row 13:  * p1, k1, p2, slip 2 together knitwise-k1-p2sso, p1 *

Decrease row 14: * p1, k1, p2, k1, p1 *

Decrease row 15: * p3tog, p1, k1, p1 *

Decrease row 16: * p2, k1, p1 *

Decrease row 17: * p1, drop next stitch from your needle and unravel it all the way down to the yo in the set-up row, k1, drop next stitch from your needle and unravel it all the way down to the yo in the set-up row

Decrease row 18: * p1, k1 *

Decrease row 19: * k2tog *

Clip tail, thread through final 9 stitches, and pull tight. Thread to inside of hat and knot. Tuck in ends.