As I talked about in the previous post, I usually knit my two sons a quick hat or scarf for Christmas. This year I finished Sean's scarf and then ran out of time to make Chase's. I did though finish it a few days after Christmas just as he was heading up to the ski mountain.
This year I wanted something a bit different for my 20 year old. I've knitted him a lot of hats over the past five years, many of which he sketched and designed, and then asked me to knit. This time I was looking for a different idea when I spotted this one on Purl Soho's project website, the Purl Bee. Perfect! It was a clever pattern and looked a bit more interesting than straight ribs or cables. I already had chosen the yarn and had two colors. I also needed a pattern that would knit up quickly. I made some minor changes to the original pattern (noted below).
This went together fine, and as I said before, I was able to ask Chase his opinion about halfway through the process. He gave it his thumbs up but requested that it be made larger (which I did) and that the middle stripe be wider than the one in the pattern photo. Check.
Our family has large heads and lots of hair, and so I always adjust the patterns to make hats larger. (I cast on 90 sts instead of 81, but I probably could have added another 6 sts). This yarn was also a bit bulkier than a regular worsted like the pattern called for. Chase also likes hats to have more at the bottom so he can pull it low, and more at top to sit up a bit like a smurf-style hat.
I also used one of his current hats to check the size both in terms both length and width. This is an easy way to check for size when you trying to knit a gift and don't want the actual recipient to try it on before it's finished.
Mission accomplished! He liked it, it fit, and he wore it to the ski hill. My other comment is that with this spiraling ribbing (pattern below) it wasn't quite as stretchy as a regular ribbed hat would be. So after he wore it one day with ski goggle straps over the lower part, I noticed that the ribs were kind of stretched out of shape, especially at the bottom. So if I were to make this pattern again, I would try to make a more stable ribbing for the first three rows or so to anchor the spiraling ribs.
Guy's Knitted Spiral Beanie (my version)
Yarn: Cascade Pastaza (50% wool, 50% llama), heavy worsted (1 skein of each color)
Needle: Size 9 Addi Turbo Circs. I started with a 16" and switched to a 12" up at the decreases.
Cast on 90 stitches (muptiples of 6). Join ends, place marker and continue in a k3, p3, pattern.
Every 3 rows, end the row with only 2 purls, and adjust the next knitted rib by 1 stitch, so that the ribbing rotates over by one stitch. Continue doing this, adjusting the ribbing every three rows.
Knit with no decreases for about 7 1/2 inches (which is about 42 rows with this yarn).
Decreases:
Round 43: K2, *p1, p2tog, k3; repeat from *
Continue k3, p2, k3 for three more rows.
Round 47: K1, *p2, k1 k2tog; repeat from *
Continue k2, p2 for three more rows.
Round 51: *P2tog, k2; repeat from *
Continue P1, k2 for TWO more rows.
Switch to 12" circs.
Round 54: *P1, k2tog; repeat from *
Continue P1, k1 for two more rows.
Round 57: *K2toget; repeat from * to end or round
Round 58: *K2tog: repeat from * to end of round.
When you have about 8 stitches left, thread yarn through remaining stitches with a yarn needle and pull tightly drawing the end inside the hat top. Knot and weave in ends.
STRIPING: I knitted 20 rounds with the main color, 15 rounds with the contrast stripe, and finished the remainder of the hat top with the main color.
Circumference for men's large hat: about 23 inches.
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