Life in Cleveland: The Dude's Slouchy Green Hat.

So! How about a free knitting pattern for a kid's slouchy hat?

See way back at the beginning of this winter thing my dude told me that he wanted me to knit him a Green Hat.

My dude wants a green hat so a green hat he shall have. #knit #knitting #love #hat #green

Green, you see, is his FAVORITE color. To the point where if it exists and it's green then obviously it is his. OBVIOUSLY.

I wanted to knit him a hat that fit his cool dude personality. So I decided on a slouchy, over-sized, rasta like shape.

Also as much as I liked the bright, BRIGHT, green accents in his jacket that color alone seemed too shocking. So I added in the skinny, emerald green stripes to tone it down.

Then I added in one, simple, relaxed cable to give it some interest.

I love how it turned out! He's been wearing it all winter - won't go anywhere without MINE GREEN HAT:

And the combo of skinny stripes and cables makes my heart sing:

The Dude's hat is done! Can't wait to see it on him!! #knit #knitting #handknit #hat #stripes

Since we're snowed in right now - which is the perfect time for Knitting All The Things - I thought I'd write up the pattern and share it with you guys. (you can see it on Ravelry here: The Dude's Slouchy Green Hat)

The Dude's Slouchy Green Hat.

Size: Approx. 2T-3T. This hat is slouchy and over-sized. It should fit my 2.5 year old for many years!

Gauge: 10 stitches and 15 rows = 2 inches.

Materials:

70 yards of worsted weight wool in Main Color (MC) I used Cascade 220 in color #8894 (green)

65 Yards of worsted weight wool in Contrast Color (CC) Plymouth Encore in color #477 (bright green)

Size 7 double pointed needles (or size needed to obtain gauge)

Stitch Markers (2 and an additional one for the end of round - I usually have the end of round break at the end of Needle 4 and keep track of it that way but if you are using circulars you will need one)

Tapestry Needle

Abbreviations:

MC - Main Color

CC - Contrast Color

K - Knit

P - Purl

K2tog - Knit two stitches together, decreasing 1.

K1fb - Knit in the front and the back of the stitch, increasing 1.

PM - Place Marker

SM - Slip Marker

C5B - Cable 5 Back - Slip 5 stitches onto a cable needle, hold to the back of the work, knit 5, knit the 5 from the cable needle.

C4B - Cable 4 Back - Slip 4 stitches onto a cable needle, hold to the back of the work, knit 4, knit the 4 from the cable needle.

Note: When working the stripes in the round it looks nicer to use a jogless stripe. There’s a decent tutorial on that here: Jogless Stripes.

Instructions:

Using Main Color (MC), size 7 double pointed needles (or size needed to obtain gauge), and the long tail cast on method, loosely cast on 68 stitches dividing stitches evenly onto 4 double pointed needles. Slip as to purl the first stitch from needle 1 onto needle 4 and slip the last stitch from needle 4 over the slipped stitch and onto needle one being careful not to twist stitches to form a smooth join.

Ribbing:

In MC: [K2, P2] repeat around.

Repeat ribbing round 5 more times, 6 times total.

Setup Round:

In MC: [K2, K1fb, K1fb] repeat stitches in bracket 5 times, K2, PM, P1, K3, K1fb, K1fb, K3, P1, PM, [K2, K1fb, K1fb] repeat stitches in bracket around.

At this point there will be 98 stitches on the needles.

Begin Body Pattern starting on Round 2 of Body Pattern instructions. Knit rounds 2-12, then knit rounds 1-12 two more times. Knit rounds 1-9. At this point you will have completed 7 MC stripes. Begin Decrease Rounds.

Body Pattern:

Round 1: In MC: K to marker, SM, P1, K10, P1, SM, K to end.

Round 2: In MC: K to marker, SM, P1, C5B, P1, SM, K to end.

Round 3: In MC: K to marker, SM, P1, K10, P1, SM, K to end.

Rounds 4-6: In CC: K to marker, SM, P1, K10, P1, SM, K to end.

Rounds 7-9: In MC: K to marker, SM, P1, K10, P1, SM, K to end.

Rounds 10-12: In CC: K to marker, SM, P1, K10, P1, SM, K to end.

Decrease Rounds:

Round 1: In CC: K to marker, SM, P1, K10, P1, SM, K to end

Round 2: In CC: [K5, K2tog] repeat stitches in bracket 4 times, K4, SM, P1, K4, K2tog, K4, P1, SM, K3, K2tog, [K5, K2tog] repeat stitches in bracket to end.

Round 3: In CC: K to marker, SM, P1, K9, P1, SM, K to end.

Round 4: In MC: [K4, K2tog] repeat stitches in bracket 4 times, K4, SM, P1, K4, K2tog, K3, P1, SM, K2, K2tog, [K2, K2tog] repeat stitches in bracket to end.

Round 5: In MC: K to marker, SM, P1, C4B, P1, SM, K to end.

Round 6: In MC: [K3, K2tog] repeat stitches in bracket 4 times, K4, SM, P1, K3, K2tog, K3, P1, SM, K1, K2tog, [K3, K2tog] repeat stitches in bracket to end.

Round 7: In CC: K to marker, SM, P1, K7, P1, SM, K to end.

Round 8: In CC: [K2, K2tog] repeat stitches in bracket 4 times, K1, K2tog, K1, SM, P1, K3, K2tog, K2, P1, SM, K2, [K2, K2tog] repeat stitches in bracket to end.

Round 9: In CC: [K1, K2tog] repeat stitches in bracket 4 times, K2tog, K1, SM, P1, K1, K2tog, K2tog, K1, P1, SM, K3, K2tog, [K1, K2tog] repeat stitches in bracket to end.

Round 10: In MC: K2tog around.

Round 11: In MC: K2tog around.

Cut yarn and thread through remaining stitches, draw together and tuck in end. Tuck in the rest of the ends.

And a couple of bonus pictures from back when we could go outside. Before Cleveland became a frozen tundra and we knew about things like the Polar Vortex...