Worsted weight yarn in three colors.
16 inch circular size 6 needle, set of size 6 dpn (double pointed needles).
1 straight size 8 needle
Tapestry needle
Scissors
Size
Finished size is for a woman or a mans size
Instructions
A. Make two ear flaps, using your first color
Using two size 6 dpns, cast on 4 stitches
Knit one row, then Purl one row.
Row 1: Knit 1, Make 1, knit to the last stitch, Make 1, Knit 1
Row 2: Knit 2, Purl to the last two stitches, then Knit 2
Repeat rows 1 & 2 until Row 1 ends with 20 stitches on the needle.
Purl 1 row.
Keep it on the needles and using the other pair of dpns, make an identical ear flap.
NOW YOU HAVE TWO ear flaps on the needles J
Begin hat, using same color yarn, and size 8 straight needle.
Take the size 8 straight needle and using a cable cast on (see the last paragraph for instructions for a cable cast on) cast on 11 stitches.
Take one of the ear flaps, (make sure that the stockinette, right side, faces you), and Purl the stitches from the size 6 dpn, onto the size 8 straight needle adding them to the cast on stitches.
At the end of the ear flat, and using a cable cast on, cast on 26 stitches. Again, take the other ear flap (make sure that the stockinette, right side, faces you), and Purl the stitches from the size 6 dpn onto the size 8 needle.
At the end of this ear flap, and using a cable cast on, cast on the final 11 stitches. You should have 88 stitches total…11 stitches, 20 stitch ear flap, 26 stitches for the front of the cap, another 20 stitch ear flap, and a final 11 stitches.
Transfer all of these stitches to the size 6, 16 inch circular needle, making sure that the stockinette sides (right sides) of the ear flaps face the outside, Join and mark the center or beginning of the round. (There should be 11 stitches before the marker on either side before the ear flaps.)
A Few Words about Sizing…
If you want to make a larger or smaller hat, take the total number or stitches you need to increase or decrease, and divide it by 2. Increase or decrease by that number in both the front 26 stitch section between the earflaps and the back 22 stitch section between the earflaps. Do this in the beginning when you cast on. It is good to remember to keep the total number divisible by 4, as that will make the color pattern below fit properly. If you are using a different color patter, use that repeat.
Knit one round
Purl 11, Knit 20, Purl 26, Knit 20, Purl 11
Knit 3 more rounds, then begin 14 row chart below (begin at the bottom of the chart.)
It is a 4 stitch pattern repeat.
NOTE
The neat thing about this hat is that you can use just about any color pattern. You can also choose not to use a pattern at all, and do stripes instead. Just remember you will have only 6 inches of the body of the hat to work with, before you need to make the crown decreases, so play your colors accordingly.
X is color #2
O is color #3
= is color #1
XOOO
XOOOXOOO
XXOX
XXOX
XXOX
XXOX
=XXX
=XXX
=XXX
= =X=
= =X=
= =X=
= =X=
Break off color #2 and continue knitting with color #3 in stockinette stitch, until the hat measures six inches. (Measure from the 26 stitches, the front of the hat, between the earflaps to the needles.)
Decrease Time
*Knit 9 stitches, SKPO (slip one, knit one, and pass the slipped stitch over the just knitted stitch). Then Place a Marker (PM)**
Repeat * to ** all the way around.
Decrease on each round by knitting to two stitches before each marker, SKPO.
At some point you will need to replace the circular needle with dpns. Stop when there are 3 stitches left and make an I cord (there is a url to learn how to do an I cord at the end of this pattern) at the top to finish the hat. Use your tapestry needle to feed about 3 inches of excess yarn back down through your ‘I cord’ and tie your I cord in an overhand knot. You can make your ‘I cord’ a little longer as well and make two overhand knots. Have fun with this hat!
Weave in all of your ends with your tapestry needle!
At the point of each ear flap, where you cast on 4 stitches at the base or point of the ear flaps, there are three spaces at the bottom between the stitches. I used a two yard strand of each color, folded it in half and put two strands through a tapestry needle and pulled each color through each of the three spaces. Even up the ends, braid the length, ending it with an overhand knot. Trim to about an inch or so below the knot for a tassel. I made my braids about 10 to 12 inches. You can either leave the braids hang when you wear the hat, or tie it into a bow.
Cable Cast On:
Using one strand of yarn, make a slip knot on the needle. Knit into this stitch, pull the loop through and place it on the needle…two stitches cast on! For all the other stitches, put the tip of the needle between the last two stitches and pull a loop through and place it on the needles. For this pattern, I used the size 8 straight needle to cast onto, and one of the size 6 dpns to pull the loops with.
I cord
Below is the url for learning an I cord…it’s really simple and if you need any help I will be glad to show you how!!!!
http://www.stitchdiva.com/custom.aspx?id=196
Here she is below in an earflapper hat the colors of North Valley High School also the Washington Redskins if you're a fan!!!!! Hah!!!!! It is totally acryllic and you can put it into the washer and the dryer. I really prefer to knit with wool, but the kids love the ease of being able to just throw it into the washer!!!!
Here is the Pattern for my hats. I have tweaked it so many times, and after awhile you can really play with the middle patterning of it, just remember it's a 4 stitch repeat!!!!
Mr. "Sugar" he's the cat that adopted me! Doesn't he have cool eyes?!!!!
to the west
Morning View
See how the Sun up in the trees reflects off of the River?!!!!
Cabin from the driveway
A view across the river from the cabin
Birdy Toes in the Snow!
First Hat with Original FREE pattern gotten off the Internet! I used commercial worsted wool in colors, Dark Brown, Cream and Grey.
Here is the 2nd hat I knit, using Single Ply Lopi weight yarn....the colors don't look right, but the bottom is a dark forest green, the middle part is Grey and the upper part is a dark green with a bluish tone to it, with little chicken beak looking gold colored yarn additions.
Here is the last hat I knit....I've shortened up the ear flaps and they're perfect now...The yarn was spun from roving hand dyed by my girlfriend Cindie....check out her Blog! http://eweniquelyewe.blogspot.com/
