Soft Serve Baby Hat - Instructions

"SOFT SERVE" Baby Hat

This delicious swirl of a baby hat whips up in no time. Uses King Color Baby Australian Merino, around 1/2 skein (~100 yds) or you can use a similar fingering weight yarn, even cashmere!

Directions for 2 sizes: 0-3 months (3-6 months see bottom of instructions).

Gauge: 7 stitches per inch over stockinette, pre-blocking

Suggested Needles: US #2 (2.75 mm) circulars, double-pointed needles

Other Notions: stitch markers (7), yarn needle, measuring tape or gauge-finder

Pattern Stitch: Seed Stitch. k1, p1, k1, p1 - repeat for first round. Following round will be p1, k1, p1, k1, - repeat for second round. Repeat both rounds.

Instructions:

For 0-3 months:

Before you begin: Knit a swatch in the round and check to make sure your gauge is 7 sts per inch in stockinette (knit each row). Adjust needle size if necessary

Preparation: Cast on 73 sts. Connect in round on circular needles, taking care not to twist the join. Place markers at start of round and after every 12 stitches, leaving 1 stitch between final and first marker. This ‘odd’ stitch allows the pattern stitch to be knit correctly in the round.

Body of hat: Work in pattern stitch for 14 rounds (Note that each stitch will be knit or purled in alternate rounds creating the “seed” pattern.)

First decreasing round: Knit (knit stitch only) until 2nd stitch before next marker, then K2tog (11th and 12th stitches). Repeat 5 more times to decrease to 67 sts. Knit 1 stitch between final and first marker to complete row. Knit 4 more rounds. Work in pattern stitch for 10 rounds.

Second decreasing round: Knit until 2nd stitch before marker, then K2tog (10th and 11th stitches). Repeat 5 more times to decrease to 61 sts. Knit 1 stitch between final and first marker to complete row. Knit 4 more rounds. Work pattern stitch for 10 rounds.

Third decreasing round: Knit until 2nd stitch before marker, then K2tog (9th and 10th stitches). Repeat 5 more times to decrease to 55 sts. Knit 1 stitch between final and first marker to complete row. Knit 4 more rounds. Work pattern stitch for 8 rounds.

Fourth decreasing round: Knit until 2nd stitch before marker, then K2tog (8th and 9th stitches). Repeat 5 more times to 49 sts. Knit 1 stitch between final and first marker to complete row. Knit 4 more rounds. Work pattern stitch for 8 rounds. Switch to double-pointed needles.

Fifth decreasing round: Knit until 2nd stitch before marker, then K2tog (7th and 8th stitches). Repeat 5 more times to decrease to 43 sts. Knit 1 stitch between final and first marker to complete row. Knit 3 more rounds. Then work the sixth decreasing round – knit until 2nd stitch before marker, then K2tog (6th and 7th stitches), repeating 5 times to decrease to 37 sts. Work pattern stitch for 6 rounds,

Decreasing for crown:
Knit until 2nd stitch before marker, then K2tog (5th and 6th sts). Repeat 5 times. (31 sts) Knit one round.
Knit until 2nd stitch before marker, then K2tog (4th and 5th sts). Repeat 5 times. (25 sts) Knit one round.
Knit until 2nd stitch before marker, then K2tog (3rd and 4th sts). Repeat 5 times. (19 sts) Knit one round.
Knit until 2nd stitch before marker, then K2tog (2nd and 3rd sts). Repeat 5 times. (13 sts) Knit one round.
K2tog all the way around (1st and 2nd sts). Repeat 5 times. (7 sts) Knit one round.
K2tog all the way around, leaving 4 sts.

Create curlicue:
Knit one row, and without turning work, slip the stitches up the needle and pull yarn around to knit another row. Repeat 12 times. This will create a long ‘I-cord’. Cut yarn leaving a 6-inch tail. Thread tail into yarn needle, and pull cord down through top of cap to create curlicue. Secure and weave in end of yarn, trim. Secure and weave in cast-on tail. Hand wash and shape to dry, pulling out the bubble sections to make them puffier.

For 3-6 Months:

Before you begin: Knit a swatch in the round and check to make sure your gauge is 7 sts per inch in stockinette (knit each row). Adjust needle size if necessary.

Preparation: Cast on 79 sts and join, taking care not to twist sts, place markers after every 13th stitch, leaving 1 stitch between first and last marker. Work one 14 rounds of pattern stitch and one decreasing round (K2tog 12th and 13th stitch to decrease to 73 sts), then knit 4 rounds straight. From this point, follow directions for 0-3 months starting at “Body of hat” section.