And One More Makes Four!
USA Hat
This hat, along with "A Trio of Patriotic Hats," was designed
to be knit for The Ships
Project, a support group which provides handmade items to troops serving in our
Armed Forces. For more information, visit the project's website at:
www.theshipsproject.com
For a larger picture of the hat, click here.
For the PDF version of the pattern,
click here.
MATERIALS:
3 skeins of worsted weight yarn (each 3.5 oz/100g - 210 yds/192 m)
(1 skein each of red, white and blue)
16" circular knitting needles in size #7
Double-pointed knitting needles in size #7
Stitch marker (for marking beginning of round)
Tapestry needle for weaving ends
SIZE:
Mens' medium/Womens' large (about 20" circumference, unstretched)
(To change the size of this hat, add/subtract multiples of 8 stitches,
distributing the stitches evenly between the chart repeats, i.e. 2 stitches
added/subtracted in the plain blue area between each repeat.)
GAUGE:
4.5 stitches/inch on #7 needles
YARN NOTE:
I used Paton's Decor, which is 75% acrylic and 25% wool, in the following
colors: Barn Red #1714, Winter White #1614, Navy #1643. You should be able to
make at least three hats, probably four, from the three skeins.
HINTS FOR WORKING WITH COLORS:
To avoid an obvious jog when changing colors for the stripes, use Meg Swansen's
"Jogless Jog": When you finish a stripe, knit the first round of the next stripe
using the new color. When you come to the end of the round, insert the tip of
your right needle into the stitch below the first stitch of the round (it will
be of the previous color), lift it, and put it onto the left needle. Then knit
the two stitches together (with the new color), and continue knitting.
If you weave in the ends as you go, finishing will be much quicker. To do this,
*** insert the tip of the right needle into the next stitch, then lay the yarn
end to be woven over the tip of the right needle, holding it taut with your left
forefinger. Knit the stitch, keeping the wrapped yarn out of the stitch by
moving it to the back off the tip of the needle once the working yarn has been
wrapped around the needle. Knit the next stitch as usual. *** Repeat steps
between asterisks until the end is secure (woven into about six or seven
stitches), then cut off remaining yarn. To eliminate bulk and reduce the
chances of the woven yarn showing through when joining a new color, weave each
color end separately, the old color in the first round and the new color in the
second round.
"USA" HAT:
Cast on 88 stitches with red. Place marker on needle and join, being careful not
to twist stitches.
Work in K2, P2 rib for 8 rounds. (To add a cuff to be turned up, work 20
rounds.)
Continue knitting with red for 6 rounds. Break yarn.
With white, knit for 3 rounds. Do not break yarn!
With blue, knit 2 rounds, then begin "USA" pattern, carrying white up from
previous stripe:
"USA" Pattern:
Round 1: * K6 blue, K1 white, K2 blue, K1 white, K3 blue, K3 white, K3 blue, K2
white, K1 blue * 4x around.
Round 2: * K6 blue, K1 white, K2 blue, K1 white, K2 blue, K1 white, K5 blue, K1
white, K2 blue, K1 white * 4x around.
Round 3: * K6 blue, K1 white, K2 blue, K1 white, K2 blue, K1 white, K5 blue, K1
white, K2 blue, K1 white * 4x around.
Round 4: * K6 blue, K4 white, K3 blue, K2 white, K3 blue, K1 white, K2 blue, K1
white * 4x around.
Round 5: * K6 blue, K1 white, K2 blue, K1 white, K5 blue, K1 white, K2 blue, K1
white, K2 blue, K1 white * 4x around.
Round 6: * K6 blue, K1 white, K2 blue, K1 white, K5 blue, K1 white, K2 blue, K1
white, K2 blue, K1 white * 4x around.
Round 7: * K7 blue, K2 white, K3 blue, K3 white, K3 blue, K1 white, K2 blue, K1
white * 4x around.
When pattern is complete, do not break off white.
Knit with blue for two more rounds, then break off blue.
With white, knit 3 rounds. Break off yarn.
With red, knit 6 rounds.
Then begin decreases, changing to double-pointed
needles when needed:
*Knit 6, K2tog* around – 77 stitches.
Knit 3 rounds even.
*Knit 5, K2tog* around – 66 stitches.
Knit 3 rounds even.
*Knit 4, K2tog* around – 55 stitches.
Knit 3 rounds even.
*Knit 3, K2tog* around – 44 stitches.
Knit 3 rounds even.
*Knit 2, K2tog* around – 33 stitches.
Knit 2 rounds even.
*Knit 1, K2tog* around – 22 stitches.
*K2tog* around – 11 stitches.
Break yarn, leaving a 6" tail. Thread the yarn onto a tapestry needle and run
the needle through the stitches in the direction of the knitting, removing them
from the needles as you go. Run the needle through the stitches again, then
pull tight. Take the yarn to the inside and weave in the end.
Weave in all ends, including the cast-on tail.
Copyright 2003 Lakeside Designs
Laurie Moskow
Lakeside Designs
laurie@knithings.com
This pattern is for charity use only and may not be used or
reproduced for sale or commercial purposes. You may print and distribute for
charity purposes with the copyright information included. If you find any
errors in the pattern, please contact me at the email address above.
