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| Stepping Stones Beanie |
Buying this yarn was a no-brainer; I dig the Berroco Vintage line, and I will still swear that it's a lovely blend of gray and purple (even if my husband, and perhaps everyone else in the world, sees it as a lovely blend of gray and gray). However, it took me a long time to devise a pattern that seemed to suit it. Fortunately, I think the Stepping Stones Beanie takes advantage of both the yarn's weight and its variegation, and would also make a suitable hat for either gender. I would also love to see someone knit the main pattern in a larger needle - perhaps a 10 - to create an even slouchier design that really showed off the yarn overs (and if you do, I want pictures!).
Yarn: Berroco Vintage Colors (50% Acrylic, 40% Wool, 10% Nylon; 217 yards [200 meters]/100 grams); #5215 Smokestack - one skein
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| A closer view of the pattern. |
Needles: one 16" circular needle in size US 6, one 16" circular needle in size US 8, and one set of double pointed needles (dpns), also in size US 8
Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch marker
So let's make a hat! Using your size 6 circular needle, cast on 96 stitches, place marker, and join in round. Then we'll knit the following ribbing row:
Ribbing Row: * p1, k2, p2, k2, p1; rep from *
Knit this ribbing row 8 times, and then switch to your size 8 circular needle (or a 10, if you want to make a slouchier hat. Let me reiterate: I want pictures!). Now, we'll move on to the main pattern, for which we'll need the following notation:
Cluster 2 (c2): slip 2 stitches with yarn in front, bring yarn to back between needles, slip the same 2 stitches back to your left hand needle, pass yarn to front between needles, and then slip the same to stitches with yarn in front again
So let's proceed as follows:
Row 1: * p1, k1, yo, k2tog-through back loops, k2tog, yo, k1, p1 *
Row 2: * p1, k2, c2, k2, p1 *
Row 3: * p1, k1, k2tog, (yo) twice, k2tog-through back loops, k1, p1 *
Row 4: * p1, c2, k1 in 1st yo, k1-back in 2nd yo, c2, p1 *
Knit rows 1 - 4 until hat measures roughly 8" and you've just completed row 4 of the pattern. Now it's time to begin our decreases, which will go as follows:
Decrease Row 1: * p1, k1, yo, k2tog-through back loops, k2tog, yo, k1, p2, k1, k2tog-through back loops, k2tog, k1, p1 *
Decrease Row 2: * p1, k2, c2, k2, p2, k1, c2, k1, p1 *
Decrease Row 3: * p1, k1, k2tog, (yo) twice, k2tog-through back loops, k1, p2, ssk, k2tog, p1 *
Decrease Row 4: * p1, c2, k1 in 1st yo, k1-back in 2nd yo, c2, p2, k2, p1 *
You may want to switch to your dpns about now...
Decrease Row 5: * p1, k1, k2tog-through back loops, k2tog, k1, p2, k2, p1 *
Decrease Row 6: * p1, k1, c2, k1, p2tog, c2, p1 *
Decrease Row 7: * p1, ssk, k2tog, p4 *
Decrease Row 8: with yarn in back, slip first stitch from 1st dpn to end of 3rd; then, * k2, p3, p2tog *
Decrease Row 9: * k2, (p2tog) twice *
Decrease Row 10: * c2, p2tog *
Decrease Row 11: * p3tog *
Clip tail, thread through final 6 stitches, and pull tight. Thread to inside of hat and knot. Tuck in ends.
Love, love, love this hat!
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear! If you decide to knit it and have questions, just let me know. I'm always happy to help :)
DeleteGreat pattern - so clever. I spun the perfect yarn but I don't think I have quite enough. boo-hoo! I may give it a go anyway and be prepared to rip it out if I run out. I'll photograph it if I do.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you like it! And I recently knit my first homespun - it was amazing! I would love to see your results :)
DeleteHey is the third row correct because it seems to be off by a few stitches....I went ahead and worked the 4th row, but it still seems off.
ReplyDeleteHmm... I'm looking, but everything seems to be in order to me. This row should create a two-stitch hole in the middle of the 6 stitch stripe, so you can cluster two stitches on each edge on the next row. Are your purls not lining up? Or can you describe your problem any more for me, so I can try to figure out what's going wrong? :)
DeleteI had this same problem the first time too but I found the problem was you need to be really careful to split the two wrapped or clustered stitches or you end up with not enough stitches at the end. It's especially tricky where you are splitting the stitches so you can do K2 together.
DeleteThanks for that insight Karen! Sometimes it's hard for me to figure out exactly what's going wrong :)
DeleteJust checking you mean Size 6 and 8 US right- not mm?
ReplyDeleteYup! I'm trying to include this information with all of my new patterns... and now that you've reminded me I'll update this one as well :)
Deletethanks- one more question - when you say measures 8" does that count the ribbing or just the pattern. It doesn't seem like it is going to be big enough with 8" counting the ribbing but I'm hesitant to do 4 more rows as I don't want it to be too big.
ReplyDeleteHi again! When I say measures 8" I mean with the ribbing. In my experience, with hats, the length really just depends on how slouchy you want it to be - my giant-headed husband wears this one easily, but without a lot of length at the end, whereas it's a bit slouchier on me. If you're knitting for a big head or a person who likes a relaxed shape to their hat, go ahead and make it longer! I am confident it will fit as written, also :)
Deletethanks, Gretchen. I'll try it as written this time.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletelove your patterns, btw. interesting yet not too hard. This is my first hat- usually a blanket knitter but my daughter needed a hat.
ReplyDeleteThank you - that's exactly the sweet spot I aim for (I mean interesting but not too difficult)! And I hope your daughter likes the hat :) This one is really attractive on, in my opinion.
DeletePlease can you share this pattern on straight needles. Rachna
ReplyDeleteHere you go!
DeleteSo let's make a hat! Using your size 6 needles, cast on 98 stitches. Then we'll knit the following ribbing rows:
Ribbing Row 1 (wrong side): p1, * k1, p2, k2, p2, k1; rep from *, end p1
Ribbing Row 2: :k1, * p1, k2, p2, k2, p1 *, end k1
Knit these ribbing rows 4 times, and then switch to your size 8 needles. Now, we'll move on to the main pattern, for which we'll need the following notation:
Cluster 2 (c2): slip 2 stitches with yarn in front, bring yarn to back between needles, slip the same 2 stitches back to your left hand needle, pass yarn to front between needles, and then slip the same to stitches with yarn in front again
So let's proceed as follows:
Row 1 (wrong side): p1, * k1, p1, yo, p2tog, p2tog through back loops (p2tog-tbl), yo, p1, k1 *, end p1
Row 2: k1, * p1, k2, c2, k2, p1 *, end k1
Row 3: p1, * k1, p1, p2tog-tbl, (yo) twice, p2tog, p1, k1 *, end p1
Row 4: k1, * p1, c2, k1 in 1st yo, k1-back in 2nd yo, c2, p1 *, end k1
Knit rows 1 - 4 until hat measures roughly 8" and you've just completed row 4 of the pattern. Now it's time to begin our decreases, which will go as follows:
Decrease Row 1 (wrong side): p1, * k1, p1, p2tog, p2tog-tbl, p1, k2, p1, yo, p2tog, p2tog-tbl, yo, p1, k1 *, end p1
Decrease Row 2: k1, * p1, k2, c2, k2, p2, k1, c2, k1, p1 *, end k1
Decrease Row 3: p1, * k1, p2tog, ssp, k2, p1, p2tog-tbl, (yo) twice, p2tog, p1, k1 *, end p1
Decrease Row 4: k1, * p1, c2, k1 in 1st yo, k1-back in 2nd yo, c2, p2, k2, p1 *, end k1
Decrease Row 5: p1, * k1, p2, k2, p1, p2tog, p2tog-tbl, p1, k1 *, end p1
Decrease Row 6: k1, * p1, k1, c2, k1, p2tog, c2, p1 *, end k1
Decrease Row 7: p1, * k4, p2tog, ssp, k1 *, end p1
Decrease Row 8: * k2, p3, p2tog *, end k2
Decrease Row 9: p2, * (k2tog) twice, p2 *
Decrease Row 10: * c2, p2tog *, end k2
Decrease Row 11: p2, * k3tog *
Clip tail, thread through final 8 stitches, and pull tight. Thread to inside of hat and knot. Seam from bottom and tuck in ends.