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Saturday, June 26, 2010

Rainy Saturday Tutorial


Things I love this morning:
.: seeing the little path through the wet grass, made by wee cat paws
.: the coffee-perk sound of rain hitting the summer kitchen's tin roof
.: my husband in his favourite faded jeans and an OLD leather belt
.: the smell of real coffee perking, my weekend treat
.: Margot still sleeping at 8:20 a.m.
.: a rainy Saturday of yard-sale road tours with the kids
.: Violet agreeing to model this new hat I've made!

This is a bonus post, as I usually take weekends off...but I'm officially on summer holidays now (wheee!) and I came up with this sweet hat pattern over the past few evenings. I thought that if you, like me, love a quick simple knit for a rainy weekend, you might appreciate a wee tutorial.

Rosie Posie Hat

Cascade 220 wool (or any worsted weight wool/yarn...cotton would be cute for a spring/summer cap!)
4.5 mm needles, 16" circular
Size: this hat fits Margot, who is 16 months and has a big head like her mother; it also fits Violet, who is 3 and has a more delicate bone structure! So it just depends on the child's head...email me if you need help with sizing for a smaller/larger child/adult!

For hat:
Cast on 80 stitches. Place marker to indicate beginning of row. Join in round and K1 row, P1 row; continue in this manner (garter stitch) until work measures 2 inches.

Change to stockinette stitch: Knit around and around until work measures 4 1/4"; place markers every 10 stitches. You should have 8 markers in all.

Now begin decreasing:
R1: Knit 8, K2 together. (basically, knit till there are 2 stitches left before the marker, then K these 2 together). Repeat around row.
R2 and all even rows from now on: Knit
R3: Knit 7, K2 together; repeat around row.
R5: Knit 6, K2 together
R7: Knit 5, K2 together

You see where this is going? You knit to two stitches before the marker, then knit these two together, slip the marker, and repeat around the row, then knit the rows in between. This will create a nice spiral/flower shape on top of your hat:

Keep going until you K2 together all the way around. On the next row, K2 together again all around (if you knit a row between these last two rows, you'll end up with a funny little "nipple" at the top of your hat!) You should have 4 stitches left; I use the word "should" loosely...you can be more flexible with hats so if you end up with 6, don't worry!

Break yarn off, leaving a 4" tail; thread through remaining stitches and sew in ends.

To make a rose:

Using another colour, cast on 10 stitches.
R1: K
R2: P
R3: Knit into front and back of each stitch, to end. (20 stitches)
R4: P
R5: Knit into front and back of each stitch, to end. (40 stitches)
R6: P
R7: Knit into front and back of each stitch, to end. (80 stitches)
R8: Bind off all stitches.

Shape into a spiral/rose form, and secure with a needle and yarn.

To make leaves: (make 2 or 3)

Using green, cast on 3 stitches.
R1: K
R2: K1, P1, K1
R3: K into front and back of first stitch, K 1, K into front and back of last stitch (5 stitches)
R4: K2, P1, K2
R5: K 1, Kfb, K 1, Kfb, K1 (7 stitches)
R6: K3, P1, K3
R7: K1, K2tog, K1, K2tog, K1 (5 stitches)
R8: K2, P1, K2
R9: K2tog, P1, K2tog (3 stitches)
R10: K
R11: K1, P1, K1
R 12: K2tog, K1
R13: P2tog

Break off yarn, thread through rem. stitch, and sew in end.

Now you can sew these leaves onto the hat:




Place the flower between the leaves, and sew on securely with yarn.


Ta da! Present at your next baby shower, birthday party, or just on any old day for a chorus of "Did you MAKE that??" Few feelings equal the gratification of gifting a handmade item to a loved one.

Please email me with any questions; I've been knitting since I was a child and take some things for granted! If you're a beginner and are totally scared away by the circular needles, take heart! Like driving a stick shift, they're only scary until you get used to them.

Now shut down your computer, and get knitting! I'd love to see photos of your finished product; please send a link in your comment to share your version of the Rosie Posie hat. Have a lovely, knitty, rainy weekend.

14 comments:

  1. Oh so sweet! Hmmm...knitting does sound like a fine idea on this rainy day. Being a confirmed beginner knitter, I'm thinkin' I could actually take this pattern on. A comment on both your hat and tutorial writing skills :-)

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  2. This is SO cute! Thanks so much for sharing. While I've been knitting for a long time, I'm new to circular needles but I'd love to try this in a summer version for my almost six-year-old with an average head. Think you could size this up for her as well as a slightly larger size, like a thirty-something-old? lol

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  3. Such a sweet little model and hat!
    I love the name of it too : )
    It sounds like a very good day and your banner is gorgeous!

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  4. Thank you so much for the adjustments!! Much appreciated! I'm excited to try this. I've just started a tea cosy but once that is done, I'm going to make this for my daughter. I'll keep you posted :)
    As for where we are -- we're in Marmora, about an hour east of Peterborough, halfway between Toronto and Ottawa. You're in the Ottawa Valley, yes?, which makes us almost neighbours as rural living goes, lol!
    BTW -- I recently discovered your blog and I love it. Your posts are very beautiful and inspiring... Thanks again!

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  5. What a sweet little hat!! I really have to learn how to knit. Maybe this fall :)

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  6. so cute! my little girl would look so cute in a hat like this. I'll have to put my knitting mom to work!

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  7. here via farmama. what a lovely blog you have!!!

    thank you so much for this pattern!!!

    ~erin

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  8. Thanks Stephanie,

    I picked up some yarn that is an organic cotton and soy mix from Bells Corner Saturday afternoon knit the hat up Sunday. I made my own adjustments to make it for a newborn to 3 month old and I am sending it to Bermuda today for my cousin's new baby.

    Sarah

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  9. Thanks for the pattern...this is lovely!
    xoxo

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  10. What a lovely hat and so good of you to share the pattern - thank you very much! I'll be casting this on to my needles in a couple of months in preparation for my son and husband's new winter hats. :)

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  11. What a lovely hat! Thank you so much for sharing on Creative Friday:)

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  12. What a wonderful post! I think I will knit that hat but use my Alpaca handspun instead. Tour de Fleece is giving me an amazing amount of yarn to choose from.

    I will be knitting this hat so thank you for sharing!

    Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

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