Sunday, January 12, 2014

North Star Hat

North Star Hat

Much to my dismay, I recently discovered that my local yarn store was discontinuing the Berroco Vintage Chunky. So I immediately bought these three skeins, with the idea that I would combine them into as many items as I could. And the first thing I came up with is this fairly awesome hat, which uses mostly the main color yarn, and a few scraps of the other two. But let's get to the pattern already!

Yarn: Berroco Vintage Chunky (50% Acrylic, 40% Wool, 10% Nylon; 130 yards [120 meters]/100 grams); #6185 Tide Pool - 1 skein, #6123 Blush - 1 skein, and #6167 Dewberry - 1 skein
The finishing

Needles: One 16" circular needle in size 9, one 16" circular needle in size 10, and one set of double-pointed needles (dpns), also in size 10

Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch marker

Gauge: 14 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette

Using your size 9 circular needle and your main color yarn (which in our case is #6185 Tide Pool), cast on 84 stitches loosely, place marker, and join in round. Next, knit 4 rows in a k2, p2 ribbing, and then switch to your size 10 needles. Knit four rows around, and then it's time to begin the main pattern, which is the North Star Pattern from page 99 of Barbara G. Walker's A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns. Please bear in mind that this is a slip stitch pattern, and yarn should be kept quite loose behind slipped stitches, especially when slipping multiple stitches together (this note goes double if you haven't knit many slip stitch patterns before - really, make it loose!). Oh, and before we get started, let's define the dip stitch as follows:

Dip stitch: Insert needle into middle front of stitch in the 3rd row below the next stitch, loop yarn around needle, and pull a loose loop through the stitch; next, slip the loop onto your left hand needle and k2 tog-b through your loop stitch and the next stitch on the needle

Row 1: Using your first accent color (for me, that's #6176 Dewberry), * k1, slip 3 stitches, k1, dip stitch; rep from *

Row 2: Still using your first accent color, * k2, slip 1, k3 *

Row 3: Using your main color, slip 1, * k3, slip 3 *, end slip 2

Rows 4 & 5: Using your main color, * k5, slip 1 *

Row 6: Using your main color, knit

Row 7: Using your second accent color, slip 1, * k1, dip stitch, k1, slip 3 *, end slip 2

Row 8: Using your second accent color, * k5, slip 1 *

Row 9: Using your main color, * k1, slip 3, k2 *

Rows 10 & 11: Using your main color, * k2, sl1, k3 *

Row 12: Using your main color, knit

Repeat rows 1 - 12 three times. Clip tails to both accent color yarns, as you're done with them. Complete two more knit rows in your main color, and then we'll begin the decreases, which go as follows:

Decrease Row 1: * k5, k2tog *

Row 2: * k4, k2tog *

You may want to switch to your dpns right about now...

Row 3: * k3, k2tog *

Row 4: * k2, k2tog *

Row 5: * k1, k2tog *

Rows 6 & 7: * k2tog *

Clip tail and thread through remaining 6 stitches. Pull tight, thread to inside of hat, and knot. Tuck in ends.




13 comments:

  1. Hi,
    Do you slip the 3 stitches in row 1 knit wise ?? Or purl wise...I'm assuming knit wise :)
    Kat

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kat! If it's not specified, you slip purlwise - otherwise the stitch gets twisted :)

      Delete
  2. Dip stitch: I am inserting the RH needle into 3rd stitch "V" down (right to left into whole stitch) then slipping it onto the LH needle to draw up the loop, slipping it off (onto the RH needle) and replacing it back onto the LH needle to knit 2togtbl with the next stitch.

    Is this right ??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi again Kat! If you're able to loop your yarn around your RH needle without putting that 3rd stitch down up onto your LH needle, you can do it that way (but you're right about v orientation and everything). If you need to put that 3rd stitch down on your LH needle to git 'er done, then yes, drop it from your needle as soon as you have your loop. Then the loop goes back on the LH needle for the k2tog-tbl. Does that help?

      Delete
  3. Oops, for got to leave name above, this is Kat again :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ah ha !! I got it now...it's the RH needle into the 3rd stitch down, (right to left) then leaving it on the RH needle, loop the yarn around it (RHN) and pull thru, and put THAT loop onto the LHN :) and I found purl wise to slip stitch so it doesn't twist :)

    PS : I'm on the East Coast...10:43a my time
    Kat

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Super! I'm glad you got it sorted :) And the comments don't actually show up in my time either - I'm in Wisconsin, so it's 9 and change. But I don't know how to fix it!!!

      Delete
  5. Hi, finished the hat - sooooo cute !!! Now off to do your cable slip stitch hat with my 3 colors. LOVE your designs and web site ��
    Kat

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kat! I'm happy to hear you are happy with your finished piece :) And thanks for your kind words, as well!

      Delete
  6. this is a fun read, I am on the learning side of knitting and I always have to giggle at instructions that say RH needle and LHN because I know I am not ready to tackle the project. being left handed gives you something else to learn, if I can convince myself that my right hand is my left perhaps I can translate!

    yikes, I just failed at I am not a robot! The instructions did not appear in the little window so I just clicked on everything!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, I think your non-robotness has now been confirmed. :) Anyway, I am (obviously) a right-handed knitter but I'm happy to help you with conversions/instructions with any of my patterns that you may be having trouble with!!!

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  7. can you please share this pattern on straight needles for wool guage 22st=4 inch using size 6 needles.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I’ve adapted the original pattern below. To use your gauge of yarn, cast on 134 stitches and add length as needed. You also may want to add one final p2tog decrease row at the end.

      Using your size 9 needle and your main color yarn, cast on 86 stitches loosely. Next, knit a few ribbing rows like so:

      Ribbing Row 1 (right side): k1, * k2, p2; rep from *, end k1

      Ribbing Row 2: p1, * k2, p2 *, end p1

      Knit ribbing rows 1 & 2 twice. and then switch to your size 10 needles. Knit four rows in stockinette, and then it's time to begin the main pattern. Please bear in mind that this is a slip stitch pattern, and yarn should be kept quite loose behind slipped stitches, especially when slipping multiple stitches together (this note goes double if you haven't knit many slip stitch patterns before - really, make it loose!). Oh, and before we get started, let's define the dip stitch as follows:

      Dip stitch: Insert needle into middle front of stitch in the 3rd row below the next stitch, loop yarn around needle, and pull a loose loop through the stitch; next, slip the loop onto your left hand needle and k2 tog-b through your loop stitch and the next stitch on the needle

      Row 1 (right side): Using your first accent color, * k1, slip 3 stitches with yarn in back (wyib), k1, dip stitch; rep from *, end k1

      Row 2: Still using your first accent color, p1, * p3, slip 1 stitch with yarn in front (wyif), p2 *, end p1

      Row 3: Using your main color, k1, slip 1 wyib, * k3, slip 3 *, end slip 2 wyib, k1

      Row 4: Using your main color, p1, * slip 1 wyif, p5 *, end p1

      Row 5: Using main color, k1, * k5, slip 1 *, end k1

      Row 6: Using your main color, purl

      Row 7: Using your second accent color, k1, slip 1, * k1, dip stitch, k1, slip 3 *, end slip 2, k1

      Row 8: Using your second accent color, p1, * slip 1 wyif, p5 *, end p1

      Row 9: Using your main color, k1, * k1, slip 3, k2 *, end k1

      Row 10: p1, * p3, slip 1 wyif, p2*, end p1

      Row 11: Using your main color, k1, * k2, sl1, k3 *, end k1

      Row 12: Using your main color, purl

      Repeat rows 1 - 12 three times. Clip tails to both accent color yarns, as you're done with them. Complete two more rows in stockinette in your main color, and then we'll begin the decreases, which go as follows:

      Decrease Row 1 (right side): k1, * k5, k2tog *, end k1

      Row 2: p1, * p2tog, p4 *, end p1

      Row 3: k1, * k3, k2tog *, end k1

      Row 4: p1, * p2tog, p2 *, end p1

      Row 5: k1, * k1, k2tog *, end k1

      Row 6: p1, * p2tog*, end p1

      Row 7: k1, * k2tog *, end k1

      Clip tail and thread through remaining stitches. Pull tight, thread to inside of hat, and knot. Seam from bottom and tuck in ends.

      Delete