I bought some of my favorite yarn to make some hats for my Etsy store, and here's a little something I designed. It is size 2T-5T and measures with an 18" circumference and is 7" from ribbing to crown.
Even though it's a touch time consuming, the colorwork is fun, easy, and it creates an amazing effect and pattern.
This assumes that you have knitting experience + some stranded colorwork experience and know how to switch colors and carry the strand along the back of the work.
Materials needed:
16" circular needles, size 6.
I use two sets of circulars for my decrease, but you can also use 4 double pointed needles to accomplish the same thing.
1 skein KnitPicks Comfy Worsted yarn for the main color.
Approx. 1/4 skein for the contrasting color(s).
I used Bison for the main color and Light Blue, Carrot, and Creme Brulee for the contrasting colors.
Abbreviations:
K=knit
P=purl
MC=Main Color
CC= Contrasting Color
st=stitch
sts=stitches
K2tog: Knit two together
Directions:
With MC, cast on 88 stitches. Join to knit in the round, being careful not to twist.
For the ribbing, K2P2 around until the ribbing measures approx. 1"; this will be about 8-10 rounds.
After ribbing is finished: - K 3 rounds with MC
- *K1 MC, K1 CC; repeat from * all the way around
- K 3 rounds with MC
- *K1 CC, K1 MC; repeat from * all the way around
Switch to your second CC and do the same thing, making sure that you have 3 rounds of MC in between your CC rounds and that you have three rounds of MCst, CCst
Continue this until hat measure 5" from bottom then start the decrease.
I got a total of 8 stripes of alternating MC/CC sts before I started the decrease.
For the decrease, continue in the pattern and...
*K6, K2tog; repeat from * around.
K around
*K5, K2tog; repeat from * around.
K around
*K4, K2tog; repeat from * around.
K around
*K3, K2tog; repeat from * around.
K around
*K2, K2tog; repeat from * around.
K around
*K1, K2tog; repeat from * around.
K around
K2tog all the way around.
Cut off a long tail, and string it through the remaining sts on needles. Pull tight. Weave in all ends.
