1. figure out your cast on number. measure the circumference of your head. check your gauge and determine how many stitches per inch you make. multiply your head measurement by the gauge and that equals the number of cast on stitches.

20" head x 4 stitches/inch gauge =
80 stitches to cast on.

*if necessary, add a stitch to make sure your cast on number is an even one. this will make your cuff ribbing work out best.

2. cast on in your main color and join your first stitch into your last. add a marker.

3. working in the round, make a cuff for the hat, do a 1 x 1 ribbing (knit 1, purl 1) until it measures one inch tall.

4. continue to knit in the round in knit/garter stitch for 2 inches.

5. using accent color, knit until stripe measures one inch tall.

6. switch back to main color and continue garter stitch until you reach a desirable height.

7. bind off using three needles*. take the needles that all your stitches are and hold them together parallel (divide your stitches evenly between the two needles). take a third needle, same size, and bind off (not too tightly) like normal, taking both stitches off at the same time from the original needles. (the original needles are held together/treated like one.)

*diagram of three needle method

8. turn hat inside out so that your seam is now on the inside.

9. make two pom-poms** combining both colors used in hat. trim down to a proportional and even size (mine are about two inches wide.) attach them at the two corners of your seam.

**using cut-out cardboard for wrapping pom-poms

10. weave in your loose ends.

:: questions, comments, suggestions ::