Hats in many sizes and gauges

	12	14	16	18	20	22	24
16	44	48	56	64	72	76	84
17	44	52	60	68	76	84	88
18	48	56	64	72	80	88	96
19	52	56	68	76	84	92	100
20	52	60	72	80	88	96	108
21	56	64	72	84	92	100	112
22	60	68	76	88	96	108	116
23	60	72	80	92	100	112	124
24	64	72	84	96	108	116	128

What is this table all about? It will help you find the right number to cast on when making a hat. Red numbers on the left are different head circumferences in inches. Pick the one you need and mark the row. Blue numbers on a top are gauge per 4". Pick one you have, and mark the column. Required number to cast on will be the one where marked row and column cross. If you had head circumference of 21" and gauge of 24sts/4", you would have to cast on 112 stitches.

Now we know the number to cast on. What now?

Cast on required number of stitches. Place marker. Join the round, being careful not to twist. Knit in 2x2 rib for 5 rounds. After that, knit in stockinette stitch until the hat is high enough. How will you know the hat is high enough? Try it on a person, and see does it almost reach the top of the head. If you don't have the receipient handy, don't stress. Since it has ribbed brim, it can be folded. For a grown up man I usually knit untill I have 6" from the edge, and for a grown up women, 5-5.5" is enough. After that, start decreasing.

Each number of CO stitches will have its own decrease rounds, but the pattern is still work in progress, so here are some of the numbers:

44:
R1: *(k2, k2tog)*
R2 k
R3: *(k1, k2tog)*
R: k
R5: *(k2tog)*
R6 k1, *(k2tog)*
Thread yarn through remaining stitches and pull tight.

56, 64, 72, 80:
R 1: (k2tog, k6)*
R 2: k*
R 3: (k2tog, k5)*
R 4: k*
R 5: (k2tog, k4)*
R 6: k*
R 7: (k2tog, k3)*
R 8: k*
R 9: (k2tog, k2)*
R 10: k*
R 11: (k2tog, k1)*
R 12: k*
R 13: k2tog*
Thread yarn through remaining stitches and pull tight.

88, 96, 104, 112, 120, 128:
R 1: (k2tog, k6)*
R 2: k*
R 3: (k2tog, k5)*
R 4: k*
R 5: (k2tog, k4)*
R 6: k*
R 7: (k2tog, k3)*
R 8: k*
R 9: (k2tog, k2)*
R 10: k*
R 11: (k2tog, k1)*
R 12: k*
R 13: k2tog*
R14: k2tog*
Thread yarn through remaining stitches and pull tight.

Of course, knitting hats is not exact science. Every knitter's gauge differs, so does row gauge for every yarn. If you think you will have hat too high, just omit all knit rounds, and do decreases every row.

I'll add decrease rounds for other numbers when i'll be less sleepy:)

More stitch markers

Vicki from Simple knits has a very fun contest on her blog. It's called "What can I knit with 1-285 yards of yarn?" and the idea is to make a huge collection of patterns that call for 1 ball of yarn, or less. Since I tend to buy yarn just because it's pretty i have a lot of single skeins, and I love the idea. I've sent her a link with my favorite sock pattern that uses less then 285v yards of yarn, and I've also donated some stitch markers for the prize. Wanna see?

Stitch markers

Here are the stitch markers that will be donated for a prize in Magic-loop-along on Ravelry. Pink ones fit up to US 5 needles, and red-purple and green ones fit the needles up to US 10. Red-purple ones were my first time doing this design, I think they work really well, I like them more than other kinds of stitch markers.

It's the Paw Thing

I made this pattern especially for armwarmers for my boyfriend. His hands get cold in front of the computer, and all the other armwarmers i saw either restrict the movement of the fingers, or they don't really cover anything. So, here we have extra long cuffs, no thumb, and no finger coverage, so they cover just palms and wrists:) That's me in the photo, I have smaller hands, so the warmers cover a bit more.

Yarn: Sandnes Garn Tresko (3-ply)
Needles: 3.5 mm / US 4
Gauge: 20 sts & 22 rows /10 cm(4")

CO 36 stitches.

Round 1-21 [k2, p2]*

R 22: k*

R 23: PM, m1, k1, m1, PM, k for the rest of the round.
R 24: k*
R 25: SLM, m1, k till the last stitch before the marker, m1, SLM.
R 26: k*

R 27 - 38: Repeat rounds 25 and 26 untill you have 15 stitches between the markers. finish with round 26.

R 39: BO 15 stitches between markers, k untill the end of the round
R 40: CO 5 stitches over the gap from the thumb hole, k until the end of the round.
R 41 - 52: k*
R 53-56: [k2, p2]*

BO loosely. Weave in the ends.


Since this yarn is a bit more scratchy than I would like, I washed them in some wool softener, but a hair regenerator will do the job just fine.

Feel free to make as many armwarmers as you want, share the pattern with anybody, sell the armwarmers you make from it... Also, feel free to experiment, using different stitches and yarns. You can follow this pattern with any yarn, just cast on 18 cm (7")worth of stitches (or as many as you need for your hands) and make sure you have a multiple of 4 for the number of stitches on your needles.

Charity hat

This is a basic pattern I use as a base for all my hats. It could as well be written as a hat recipe. Basically, you cast on 40-45 worth of stitches, and try to make it a multiple of 6, 7, 8 or 9(&). Knit a few rows of ribbing, and then keep knitting stockinette untill you reach a top of the head. Then divide stitches in groups acording to [&], decrease at the beginning of each group every other row, and keep knitting untill you have [&] stitches left:)

Yarn: Unitas Marija, cca 65 g
Needles: US 10 / 6mm
Gauge: 14 sts & 20 rows/4"

Pattern:
CO 64. Place marker. Join in the round.
Rounds 1-5: (K2, P2)*
Rounds 6-31: K*
Round 32: (SSK, K6)*
Round 33: K*
Round 34: (SSK, K5)*
Round 35: K*
Round 36: (SSK, K4)*
Round 37: K*
Round 38: (SSK, K3)*
Round 39: K*
Round 40: (SSK, K2)*
Round 41: K*
Round 42: (SSK, K1)*
Round 43: K*
Round 44: SSK*

Thread yarn through remaining stitches and pull tight.
Make a pom-pom and attach to the top.

Feel free to make as many hats as you want, share to pattern with anybody, sell the hats you make from it... Also, feel free to experiment, using different stitches and yarns.