Decreasing without bumps

How-to Questions
1

I’ve recently taught myself to knit so I can make my own photography baby hat props and I’m loving it!

But I have a little problem - I’ve gone through 3 patterns for same style hat and I’m less than happy with the 3 raised spirals I get when and where I decrease. On hats I’ve bought which used these patterns they haven’t had them so why do mine?

I’m using 4 dp needles (3 plus the empty one to knit with) and in the round I’m plain knitting so I get stockinette stitch (right?).
The pattern starts off with 9 stitches on all 3 needles then decreases by k7 k2tog (on all 3 needles) then knit row, k6 k2tog (on all 3 needles) then knit row etc etc…

Is it because the decreases are all in same place I get these raised spirals? What can I do to decrease at same rate but without bumps? They are unsightly for pictures.

Thank you! X

2

For hats, I usually do a knit 2 together or a ssk both of which are flat. You can look at examples under the Free Videos tab at the top of this page under Decreases.
Yes, doing the decreases as you describe is giving you the spiral. Try staggering the placement of the decreases to break up the spiral. For myself, I like the pattern.

3

Thank you. It’s K2Tog I’m doing but on the tiny newborn hat I’m doing it’s unsightly. Maybe I need to use a thick and thin yarn to hide it more? I can’t see how the lady I got the pattern from could get such good photos of hers but she’s using this kind of yarn where I’m using basic chunky merino.

4

It’s probably going to show more in bulky yarn because the thickness of the yarn makes the decreases thicker.