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Scant by Lee Meredith
a very simple pattern for a very basic custom hat in any weight yarn
- great for single skeins of special yarn
- custom fit to your head
- sizing tips included for gift knitting
- twisted ribbed bottom for a nice fit
- make fitted or slouchy, as you like
- add some stripes if you want to!
-
you'll need:
- one skein of any weight yarn (or enough yardage for a hat in your weight; some single skeins may not be enough, but most will)
- needles sized to match your yarn (to get a tight-ish gauge if you want a snug, warm hat; to get a loose-ish gauge if you want a slouchy style)
- start with either DPNs or a long circular for magic loop, then switch to a 16" circular once you work out to enough stitches
Pattern notes
Abbreviations:
m1R = make 1, right-slanting, by picking up the strand between needle points from back to front, and knitting into the front (increases 1)
m1L = make 1, left-slanting, by picking up the strand between needle points from front to back, and knitting into the back (increases 1)
See photo tutorials for make 1 techniques here.
During setup round 2, use a different colored marker for the first one, to mark the first increase point of the round - you don't need an extra marker for the actual round beginning since you won't do anything until hitting this marker.
Hat circumference help
If knitting for yourself, measure around your head, then subtract about 2 inches / 5 cm to get a good hat circumference.
Unless you want a big, slouchy style hat, then do not subtract anything.
For gift knitting, for a fitted hat, general small {medium, large} hat sizes (small is for child-teen, medium is standard adult woman, large is standard adult man) are 18 {20, 22} inches / 45 {50, 55} cm hat circumference.
For a large, slouchy style hat, small {medium, large} hat sizes are 20 {22, 24} inches / 50 {55, 60} cm hat circumference.
List of numbers which are multiples of 4:
40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60, 64, 68, 72, 76, 80, 84, 88, 92, 96, 100, 104, 108, 112, 116, 120, 124, 128, 132, 136, 140, 144, 148, 152, 156, 160, 164, 168, 172, 176, 180, 184, 188, 192, 196, 200
(choose one of these numbers for your stitch count)
You'll probably need to stop increasing in the middle of an increase round to achieve your stitch count; just stop whenever you reach your exact number and do not work any more increases, regardless of where you are.
Or, if you want to get fancy, when you are beginning the increase round which will bring you to your stitch count in less than 12 increases, work those increases evenly around the hat (so work every other pattern increase, or every third pattern increase, for example, as needed to reach your final stitch count during the round).
Hat height help
Standard hat height is about 8-9 inches / 20-23 cm (total), so work up to 6-7 inches / 15-18 cm before starting 2 inch / 5 cm wide ribbed section.
For a longer, slouchy style hat, total height should be around 10-11 inches / 25-28 cm (depending on how much extra slouch length you like).
To get your perfect final hat height, try the hat on as you work the ribbed section (when you think the height might be good, transfer some stitches onto another needle so that you're able to try it on) and then stop and bind off when the height is as you like.
Note: you can make the ribbed brim any height you want; just decide how high you want it, work the stockinette body until the piece is that much less than your total desired hat height, then work the brim until reaching that total height.
Binding off
A stretchy bind-off is recommended, like this decrease bind off:
Start by knitting 2 together through the back loops.
*
When the next stitch is a knit stitch: with yarn in back (as if to knit), pass just-worked stitch back onto left-hand needle without twisting it, knit 2 together through the back loops.
When the next stitch is a purl stitch: with yarn in front (as if to purl), pass just-worked stitch back onto left-hand needle without twisting it, purl 2 together.
Repeat from * to end.
self-published right here in November 2012
on ravelry
photos on flickr
blog post
it's also a free pdf!
