Little Birds Hat

Little Birds Hat

Yet again the story behind this hat is simple: while at the Edinburgh Yarn Festival in March, I went on a quest to find the perfect silvery yarn for a hat design. After combing through all of the booths, I finally settled on the subtle luster of this 4 ply from Ripples Crafts. Then, of course, once I had the fiber picked out I had to figure out the pattern, and ultimately decided to let a play on a basic stockinette let the yarn shine through. So if you, too, have a gorgeous 4 ply at home this may just be the design for you! (or - even better - order one of the gorgeous colorways from Ripples!!!!)

Yarn: Ripples Crafts Hand Dyed Yarn 4 Ply - Burras (100% Wool; 400 yards [366 meters]/100 grams); Moonshine - 1 skein (I used 58 grams, or roughly 232 yards)

A look at the finish.

Needles: one 16" circular needle in size US 2, one 16" circular needle in size US 3, one set of double pointed needles (dpns), also in size US 3

Notions: Tapestry needle, two stitch markers

Gauge: 28 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette on size US 3 needles

Using your size US 2 needle, cast on 154 stitches loosely, place marker, and join in round. Then we'll work a ribbing, as follows:

Ribbing Row: * k1, p1; rep from *

Knit this ribbing row until ribbing measures roughly 1.5". Transfer your work to your size US 3 circular needle. Then we'll begin our main pattern, which is Little Birds from page 105 of Barbara G. Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns, and goes as follows:

Rows 1 - 3: knit

Rows 4 & 5: * k2, slip 2 stitches purlwise with yarn in back (sl2 wyib), k10 *

Row 6: * sl2 wyib, drop first slipped stitch to front of work and slip the two stitches you just slipped back to your left-hand needle, pick up and knit dropped stitch, k2, drop next slipped stitch to front of work, k2, pick up and knit dropped stitch, k8 *

Rows 7 - 9: knit

Rows 10 & 11: * k9, sl 2 wyib, k3 *

Row 12: * k7, sl2 wyib, drop first slipped stitch to front of work and slip the two stitches you just slipped back to your left-hand needle, pick up and knit dropped stitch, k2, drop next slipped stitch to front of work, k2, pick up and knit dropped stitch, k1 *

Work rows 1 - 12 until piece measures roughly 9" and you've just finished row 7 or row 1 of the pattern. Then, we'll work the decrease, as follows:

Decrease Row 1: * k5, k2tog * (132 stitches)

Decrease Row 2: knit

Decrease Row 3: * k4, k2tog * (110 stitches)

Decrease Row 4: knit

You're going to want to transfer your work to your dpns about now...

Decrease Row 5: * k3, k2tog * (88 stitches)

Decrease Row 6: knit

Decrease Row 7: * k2, k2tog * (66 stitches)

Decrease Row 8: knit

Decrease Row 9: * k1, k2tog * (44 stitches)

Decrease Row 10: knit

Decrease Row 11: * k2tog * (22 stitches)

Decrease Row 12: * k2tog * (11 stitches)

Work decrease rows 1 - 12 and clip yarn tail. Thread onto tapestry needles, and then thread through final 11 stitches and pull tight. Thread to inside of work and knot. Tuck in ends, and, if desired, block.