Japanese Knitting Pattern

How-to Questions
1

Hi there,

About 2 years ago I visited Japan and purchased a beautiful hat knitting kit with pattern. Ever since I got it, I’ve been trying to understand it but never could. I tried translating the words myself and looking up instructions for how to knit using a chart but have had no success.

If someone could please help me understand how to start and what to do that would be great.
Below is a photo of the pattern.

Thanks very much!

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2

Welcome to KH!
Here’s an overview that may get you started

and another site
https://www.ito-yarn.com/en/news/understanding-japanese-knitting-patterns-i-basics

The chart is actually quite helpful as well as the stitch diagrams at the bottom. Once you have the basic information on gauge and needle size, you may be able to follow the chart guided by a photo of the finished hat without translating every character.

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3

Thanks so much for this!
The first link is especially helpful.

I’m still not completely “proficient” in knitting and patterns so I was wondering if you might be familiar with this part of the chart even if you are not specifically familiar with Japanese knitting:

I understand that I will be knitting upward, indicated by the up arrows. But then there are these valley looking parts at the bottom of the chart. I guess those indicate the tops and curves of the hat. On both of those there are down arrows. When would I knit these. Do I bind off after finishing the part which I am knitting upward, knit the “valleys” separately, and then attach them?

4

When looking at the pattern, there are the same decreases marks both on the ear flaps and on the top, which suggests that you cast on 72 stitches and first work up to the top. Then you pick up the stitches for the ear flap and work in the other direction and finally binding off 3 stitches on each flap.

I do not understand any Japanese, but when looking at the upper right corner it looks like you pick up all the edge stitches for making some kind of border (maybe ribbing?) after you have finished both ear flaps.

My suggestion is to interpret the pattern freely as how you want the hat to be rather than trying to follow it to 100%. No police will arrest you if you do not follow it completely :stuck_out_tongue:.

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