This hat is knitted flat and I will use a Bickford seam (despite recommendations not to do so) to keep it flat. My friend has a sensitive head and feels the cold so badly that she wears a beanie to bed, pulling it down to cover the back of her neck. My challenge to myself is to make something strange and quirky for her which is also practical, slightly ugly but essentially lovable.
Feel free to use any DK yarn; I chose Sublime Yarns Baby Cashmere Merino Silk DK in colourways 0160 (blue-purple) and 0051 (blue). This hat may be weird but it will be warm.
With 3.5mm needles, I cast on 100 stitches being 98 st plus 2 selvedge st using Tillybuddy's very stretchy cast-on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTIBTm0QL6A
Rows 1-14
Remembering to work on the very tips of my needles to lessen the risk of loosening strands on the cast-on as I knit, I slip purlwise first selvedge then k2p2 rib to last selvedge which I knit through back loop. I knit 2x2 ribbing in pattern for 14 rows.
Rows 15-28
Change to 4.0mm needles and, retaining selvedges, use Roxanne Richardson's "slip the knits and knit the purls" transition from ribbing to stocking stitch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVLCXu8w3uM then knit stocking stitch for 13 more rows, ending with a purl row.
Row 29
Change to 6.0mm needles and, retaining selvedges, *k4 then k2tog* to last 4k st and selvedge, bringing stitch count down to 84 and 2 selvedges.
Rows 30 - 35
Add second colour and, retaining selvedges, purl. Continue stocking stitch for 5 more rows, ending with a knit row.
Rows 36 - 41
Six rows reverse stocking stitch, beginning with knit row.
Rows 42 - 47
Six rows stocking stitch, beginning with a purl row.
Rows 48 - 53
Six rows reverse stocking stitch, beginning with knit row.
Decrease crown:
Row 54
Slip selvedge then change second colour to main colour, * p6 slip 1 knitwise p1 psso * to end, p4 and knit selvedge
Row 55
Slip selvedge, knit to end and knit selvedge
Row 56
Slip selvedge, * p5 slip 1 knitwise p1 psso * to end, p4 and knit selvedge
Row 57
Slip selvedge, knit to end and knit selvedge
Row 58
Slip selvedge, * p4 slip 1 knitwise p1 psso * to end, p4 and knit selvedge
Row 59
Slip selvedge, knit to end and knit selvedge
Row 60
Slip selvedge, * p3 slip 1 knitwise p1 psso * to end, p4 and knit selvedge
Row 61
Slip selvedge, knit to end and knit selvedge
Row 62
Slip selvedge, * p2 slip 1 knitwise p1 psso * to end, knit selvedge
Row 63
Slip selvedge, knit to end and knit selvedge
Row 64
Slip selvedge, * p1 slip 1 knitwise p1 psso * to end, knit selvedge
Row 65
Slip selvedge, knit to end and knit selvedge
Row 66
Slip selvedge, * p1 slip 1 knitwise p1 psso * to end, knit selvedge
Row 67
Slip selvedge, k2tog to end, k1 and knit selvedge.
With a very long tail sufficient to seam the hat, cinch the last 8 stitches together and off the needle and seam the selvedge stitches for about 5" each from the top and cuff (which folds up against the reverse stocking stitch to both cover the fragile floats and to make this part of the hat as thick as the double-yarn section). Find your lucky recipient and measure exactly where in the open seamed area will sit the BAHA. I planned to crochet around the BAHA position to widen the actual hole instead of allowing the knitted fabric to chafe against the device. This was unnecessary and the recipient loves both the hat and the fingerless mitts which can fold back. She is warm and happy so I am happy too.
I spent much of 2020 locked down on a friend's small rural property thanks to the Chinese virus. I knitted hats and drank wine - I quickly learned not to do both at the same time. If I used a pattern, it will be noted on Ravelry.
