Rainbow Maze Hat

 

Rainbow Maze Hat
Size Toddler

The story behind this hat is simple: I've been hat-shamed for not sending my youngest to his preschool with a proper head-covering, so I decided to make one for him (to be fair, he's a very stubborn child, and has only recently been willing to wear one). And not only did the Rainbow Maze Hat turn out quite well, but he's also even worn it once or twice. Small victories, you know!

Sizes: 12 Months (Toddler; Child Small; Child Large; Adult Small; Adult Large)

Yarn: Lang Yarns Merino 150 (100% Virgin Wool; 164 yards [150 meters]/50 grams); #197.0035 - one skein (one skein; one - two skeins; two skeins; two skeins; two skeins) (color A), & Lang Yarns Mille Colori Baby (100% Virgin Wool; 208 yards [190 meters]/50 grams); #845.0050 - one skein (all sizes) (color B)

The pattern, and the back
Plus the baby's new jacket

Needles: One 16" circular needle in size US 3, one 16" circular needle in size US 4, and one set of double pointed needles (dpns), also in size US 4

Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch marker

Gauge: 27 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette on size US 4 needles

So let's make a hat! Using your size US 3 circular needle and your color A yarn, then, cast on 114 (120; 126; 132; 144; 156) stitches loosely, place marker, and join in round. Then we'll move to our ribbing, which goes as follows:

Ribbing Row: * k1, p1; rep from *

Knit this ribbing row until piece measures roughly 3.5" (3.5"; 3.5"; 4"; 4"; 4"). Transfer work to your size US 4 circular needle, and then we'll knit two transition rows as follows:

Transition Rows 1 & 2: using color A, knit

And once those are done, we'll go straight to the main pattern, which is an adaptation of Russian Stitch from page 62 of Barbara G. Walker's A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns, and goes as follows:

Rows 1 & 2: using color B, * k5, slip 1 with yarn in back (sl1 wyib) *

Row 3: using color A, * sl1 wyib, k5 *

Row 4: using color A, * sl1 wyib, p4, k1 * 

Rows 5 & 6: using color B, * k5, slip 1 with yarn in back (sl1 wyib) *

Row 7: using color A, * k4, sl1 wyib, k1 *

Row 8: using color A, * p4, sl1 wyib, k1 *

Knit rows 1 - 8 until piece measures roughly 6.75" (7.25"; 7.5"; 8"; 8.75"; 9.75") in total and you've just finished row 2 or row 6 of the pattern. Clip the tail of your color B yarn, since you're done with it. Then, we'll knit two transition rows, as follows, before beginning our decrease:

Transition Rows 1 & 2: using color A, knit

Knit these transition rows, and then we'll move to our decrease rows, as follows. As a note, you'll complete all of these rows with your color A yarn, and you'll need to transfer your work to your double pointed needles now if you're making the 12 month size, the toddler size, or the child small, and after decrease row 2 for all the larger sizes.

Decrease Row 1: * k4, k2tog * (95 (100; 105; 110; 120; 130) stitches remaining)

Decrease Row 2: knit

Decrease Row 3: * k3, k2tog * (76 (80; 84; 88; 96; 104) stitches remaining)

Decrease Row 4: knit

Decrease Row 5: * k2, k2tog * (57 (60; 63; 66; 72; 78) stitches remaining)

Decrease Row 6: knit

Decrease Row 7: * k1, k2tog * (38 (40; 42; 44; 48; 52) stitches remaining)

Decrease Row 8: knit

Decrease Row 9: * k2tog * (19 (20; 21; 22; 24; 26) stitches remaining)

Decrease Row 10 - sizes 12 months and child small: k1, * k2tog * (10 (--; 11; --; --; --) stitches remaining)

Decrease Row 10 - all other sizes: * k2tog * (-- (10; --; 11; 12; 13) stitches remaining

Complete decrease rows 1 - 10. Clip yarn tail, thread through remaining 10 (10; 11; 11; 12; 13) stitches, and pull tight. Make and affix pompom, tuck in ends and block, if desired.