Knitting 101 at Puzzling Posts

Hey kids! Today, Im over at Puzzling Posts writing about how to knit. There's also a free pattern - its like the Aisley Cowl but it's a scarf - so make sure to go over and check things out!

Sponsor Love: Knot-Cha-Chá!™

I have my first sponsor and I am so excited to introduce you to her!

I've been reading Sharon's blog, Knot-Cha-Chá!™ for a long time and it has become one of the required stops on my blog list. Sharon is "a designer/maker, teacher, writer and spinner of yarns with a love of color, texture, and simplicity of line." Her articles on spinning (and the beautiful results) have made me want to learn to spin and her featured knitting is beautiful. In addition, she writes fun articles about her life and adventures and includes tutorials for some really beautiful projects (I Love the Understatement Necklace).

Her Etsy store, Knot-Cha-Chá!™ is full of gorgeous knitted and crocheted confections like this merino wool scarf (that I have been coveting) in a lacy ribbed pattern. Buy it for me, won't you?

She also makes hats, bracelets, wraps, cowls, and many other delicious handmade accessories. Be sure to check them out!

Thanks, Sharon, for being my first sponsor!

More information on sponsorship opportunities can be found here or by clicking the "Become a Sponsor" button in the left sidebar.

The Morgan Hat

I promised my mom that I would knit her a hat, something unique. What I cam up with is a reversible cap with a stylized brim. Decide which side you like, and wear that side!



The brim takes the most time, and, quite frankly, it's not all that tough. From there, it's just stockingette stitch with a few decreases here and there. It's also a hat that would work equally well for a man (although, not in pink, like here). I would, however, cast on 4 to 8 stitches more.

The Brim is made from a lovely reversible pattern that you can see above, and the reverse side below. The reverse almost looks like a cable, but it is just a series of knit and perl stitches.



I used a recycled dehaired angora coupled with Lion Brand cotton to create a chunky yarn. Other appropriate selections would be Extra Fine Merino Chunky by Jaeger or Newport by Classic Elite.



Gauge: 16 stitches/4 inches
Yarn: Heavy Worsted Weight
One Skein ought to do it
Needle size: one 10-1/2 circular or 4 10-1/2 dpns

ybk = yarn to back

Cast on 88 stitches.

Brim:
Rows 1, 3, and 5: P
Row 2: *P2 tog but leave stitches on LHN, ybk, Ktog same 2 stitches, rep from* to end
Row 4: P, *P2 tog but leave sitiches on LHN, ybk, Ktog same 2 stitches, rep from * to last stitch, P

Continue rows 1 - 5 for 3 inches.

Place stitch marker at beginning for rows.
Next row: *P7, P2 tog, rep from * to end
Remaining rows: P

Continue in this manner for 7 inches

Crown decrease:
Row 1: *P6, P2 tog, rep from* to end
Row 2: P
Row 3: *P5, P2 tog, rep from* to end
Row 4: P

Continue in this manner until 6 - 8 stitches remain. Run yarn through remaining stitches, ties off, and using tapestry needle, weave tail into knitting.

Viola! You are done

Note: When knitting the decrease rows, you may find a few extra stitches at the end of the row. Perl these, then continue with pattern.

Hope you enjoy the pattern, let me know if you have problems, and have fun!

The Wallis Hat

After a brief Thanksgiving hiatus, it's back to the old blog. As promised, I am bringing you the pattern for my hat (William's hat, for my regular readers) which I am calling "The Wallis."



I used recycled yarn with a gauge of 7 stitches per inch. This hat can be made for all age groups. As you can see, I put ear flaps on the toddler version and didn't on the adult version. You could do flaps and ties if that is what you would like.

The yarn measured out at 14 wraps per inch, so look for a sport weight yarn.



The pattern looks difficult but it really is quite simple and should be easy to pick up once you start knitting it.



Wallis Hat

Gauge = 7 stitches per inch

Knit with 4 size 7 double pointed needles or one circular (you will need dpns for the crown decrease)

Because I give instructions for 5 different sized hats, I have noted the repeated stitches in parenthesis and state to stitch "all around" which means to continue the instructed stitches to the end of the row (where you have placed the stitch marker).

C4F = Slip two stitches on cable needle, hold in front. Knit next two stitches, then knit the two on the cable needle

T3F = Slip 2 stitches onto cable needle, hold at front of work. Perl next stitch, knit the two off of the cable needle

T3B = Slip one stitch onto cable needle, hold at back of work, knit nest two, perl stitch from cable needle

Hat Pattern

For a newborn cast on 96 stitches
For a 1 year old cast on 120 stitches
For a toddler (2 - 5 y.o.), cast on 126 stitches
For a child (5 - 12) cast on 132 stitches
For an adult, cast on 144 stitches.

Join the last stitch to the first stitch being careful not to twist the stitches. Place a stitch marker on the first stitch.

Rows 1 - 5: (K4, P2) all around
Row 6: (C4F, P2) all around
Row 7: - 11: (K4, P2) all around
Row 12: K2, then (T3F, T3B) all around
Row 13: K2, then (P2, K4) to last 4 stitches, P2, K2
Row 14: Transfer last 2 stitches from Right needle to Left needle, (C4F, P2) all around
Rows 15 - 20: (K4, P2) all around
Row 21: (C4F, P2) all around
Row 22: (K4, P2) all around
Row 23: Transfer first 2 stitches from Left needle to Right needle, K2, then (T3B, T3F)all around

Repeat 23 rows until length is about 1/2 to 1 inch shorter than you would like the hat to be.

Crown decrease

This crown decrease is for the adult hat. The smaller hats have less stitches, so you will be able to tie off the hat with fewer rows. Just follow the pattern for the adult crown decrease and once you are down to around 6 stitches, you can thread the yarn through the stitches, tie off, and you are done!

Row 1: (K1, K2tog, K1, P2, K4, P2) all around
Row 2: (K3, P2, K4, P2) all around
Row 3: (K3, P2, K1, K2tog, K1, P2) all around
Row 4: (K3, P2) all around
Row 5: (K1, K2tog, P2) all around
Row 6: (K2, P2) all around
Row 7: (K2, P2tog) all around
Row 8: (K2, P1) all around
Row 9: (K2tog, P1) all around
Row 10: (K1, P1) all around
Row 11: K2tog all around
Row 12: K all around
Row 13: K2tog all around

Thread yarn through remaining stitches and tie off tightly. You are done!

To knit on the ear flaps:

First, a Disclaimer: I sort of improvised the ear flap pattern as I went along, so if your flaps turn out either too long or slightly wonky, it is because this was my first set of ear flaps! You have been warned!

use size 7 dpns

On either side of the hat, pick up 18 stitches in the following manner (going Right to Left):
Start at the right side of a knitted rib, pick up 3 of the knitted stitches, then (1 perl, 2 knit)x4, then 1 perl, and finally 3 knit stitches.

Using this basic pattern (3 Knit stitches on either end), you can make the ear flaps wider of skinnier, depending on your preferences.

Rows 1 - 10 (or however long you want the main body of the ear flaps to be): K3, (P1, K2)x4, P1, K3
Decrease Rows: At the beginning and end of the flap on the right side, knit 2 together TWICE, then on wrong side, follow pattern as established. Continue in this manner until you are down to 4 stitches. Bind off.

Make a cord in the length of your choosing using the method of your choosing (I used braids on the toddler hat, i-cord is ok, a crocheted chain would work, too). Attach cords to flap ends using a tapestry needle.



Please let me know if you find any errors or have any problems with the pattern. I know that it's not written in an entirely traditional manner, so if you can think of ways to change it or make it more user friendly, I'm always open to suggestions. I'm just a beginner in the whole hat designing area, so it's a learning process for me. But I hope you find it easy and a fun knit! Enjoy!