Nom Nom Garter Hat

Nom Nom Garter Hat

You may be wondering why this thing is called the Nom Nom Garter Hat. The answer to that question is simple - it's because it will eat up your yarn scraps like "nom nom nom!" Before we get started, however, I should tell you a couple of things - first of all, you need roughly 50 yards each of your two main colors in order to get this hat going. Provided you have that, you can do your accent colors with quite small amounts of any worsted- or dk-weight yarns (or smaller, if you hold two strands together!). Also, I wrote my color combination out here so that you could make the hat with the exact same color scheme, if you wanted. Please, however, feel free to ignore my accent coloring (colors C - J), and do your own instead! If you choose to do this, however, you'll definitely want to pay attention to the length of the stockinette stripe on this hat - it is a better indication of the finished length than the garter stitch. To make the color pop, after all, you'll be blocking the snot out of this thing, and the garter will stretch a LOT.

Oh, and last but not least - I designed this hat back-and-forth, both for my peeps who avoid circular knitting, and because that's the only way to truly take advantage of the garter stitch. If you need help converting the pattern for circular knitting, just ask!

Sizes: Adult Small (Adult Large)

Yarn: Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash (100% Superwash Wool; 220 yards [200 meters]/100 grams); #1948 Mystic Purple - one skein (color A), #908 Magenta - one skein (color B) & various scrap yarns in worsted & dk weights (colors C - J) - roughly 50 yards total

This is how I kept my colors straight!
My children thought I was working on a cool
art project, at least.

Needles: straight needles in size US 7

Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch marker

Gauge: 20 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette, 16 stitches = 4 inches in garter

So let's get started! First, then, using your color A yarn, cast on 82 (90) stitches. Then we'll work the edging rows like so:

Row 1: using color A, p3, knit until you have 3 stitches left in row, p3

Row 2: using color C, knit

Row 3: using color C, p3, knit until you have 3 stitches left in row, p3

Row 4: using color A, knit

Row 5: using color B, p3, knit until you have 3 stitches left in row, p3

Row 6: using color D, knit

Row 7: using color D, p3, knit until you have 3 stitches left in row, p3

Row 8: using color B, knit

Row 9: using color A, p3, knit until you have 3 stitches left in row, p3

Row 10: using color E, knit

Row 11: using color E, p3, knit until you have 3 stitches left in row, p3

Row 12: using color A, knit

Once these 12 rows are done, we'll knit a couple of transition rows, as follows:

Transition Row 1 (wrong side): using color B, p3, knit until you have 3 stitches left in row, p3

Transition Row 2: using color B, k1, * k3, kfb, k4; rep from * until you have one stitch left in row, k1 (92 stitches (101 stitches))

And once THOSE rows are done, we'll move right to the main pattern, as follows (and yes, it's exactly the same as the edging rows). Remember that I am giving the color variation as seen in the particular hat I made - you are welcome to change it as you see fit!!!

Row 1: using color A, p3, knit until you have 3 stitches left in row, p3

Row 2: using color F, knit

Row 3: using color F, p3, knit until you have 3 stitches left in row, p3

Row 4: using color A, knit

Row 5: using color B, p3, knit until you have 3 stitches left in row, p3

Row 6: using color G, knit

Row 7: using color G, p3, knit until you have 3 stitches left in row, p3

Row 8: using color B, knit

Rows 9 - 12: repeat rows 1 - 4, using color H instead of color F

Rows 13 - 16: repeat rows 5 - 8, using color I instead of color G

Rows 17 - 20: repeat rows 1 - 4, using color J instead of color F

Rows 21 - 24: repeat rows 13 - 16

Rows 25 - 28: repeat rows 9 - 12

Rows 28 - 32: repeat rows 5 - 8

And once these 32 rows are done (or once your hat measures roughly 7" - 8" along the stockinette strip), it's time to begin our decrease, which goes as follows:

Decrease Row 1: using color A, p3, knit until you have 3 stitches left in row, p3

Decrease Row 2: using color F, k1, * k2, ssk, k5 * until you have 1 stitch left in row, k1 (80 stitches (88 stitches)

Decrease Row 3: using color F, p3, knit until you have 3 stitches left in row, p3

Decrease Row 4: using color A, k1, * k2, ssk, k4 * until you have 1 stitch left in row, k1 (70 stitches (77 stitches))

Decrease Row 5: using color B, p3, knit until you have 3 stitches left in row, p3

Decrease Row 6: using color E, k1, * k2, ssk, k3 * until you have 1 stitch left in row, k1 (60 stitches (66 stitches))

Decrease Row 7: using color E, p3, knit until you have 3 stitches left in row, p3

Decrease Row 8: using color B, k1, * k2, ssk, k2 * until you have 1 stitch left in row, k1 (50 stitches (55 stitches))

Decrease Row 9: using color A, p3, knit until you have 3 stitches left in row, p3

Decrease Row 10: using color D, k1, * k2, ssk, k1 * until you have 1 stitch left in row, k1 (40 stitches (44 stitches))

Decrease Row 11: using color D, p3, knit until you have 3 stitches left in row, p3

Decrease Row 12: using color A, k1, * k2, ssk * until you have 1 stitch left in row, k1 (30 stitches (33 stitches))

Decrease Row 13: using color B, p2, knit until you have 3 stitches left in row, p3

Decrease Row 14: using color C, k1, * k1, k2tog * until you have 1 stitch left in row, k1 (20 stitches (22 stitches))

Decrease Row 15: using color C, p2, knit until you have 3 stitches left in row, p3

Decrease Row 16: using color B, k1, * k2tog * until you have 1 stitch left in row, k1 (12 stitches (13 stitches))

Decrease Row 17: using color B, p1, * p2tog * until you have one stitch left in row, p1 (using color B, p2, * p2tog * until you have one stitch left in row, p1) (7 stitches (8 stitches)) 

Knit decrease rows 1 - 17. Then, using your tapestry needle, thread final 7 (8) stitches onto a scrap of yarn for working later. Block vertically, but not horizontally - you should be stretching your garter fabric out to the same height as the stockinette strip, but not changing the circumference of the hat. Finally, once this little guy is done blocking, seam from bottom of hat, threading seaming yarn through final 7 (8) stitches when you reach them. Pull tight, thread to inside of hat, and knot. Tuck in ends.