I added extra rows to make it fit over my ears. I used kitchener stitch to close the top and a mattress seam to close the back. I never thought I could get kitchener but I just kept watching the videos over and over. One thing that was throwing me off for the longest time was trying to get my tail yarn on the back needle. I ended up having to decrease one more time…loL. I was suprised at how good it looks for my first project and hat!!
A big thanks goes out to Beld for helping me along the way too. You are so awesome
I’m posting a couple pics here of the hat. One more thing…You know how it says at the end about 10-15 stitches being left on the needle?? Well, I got either 18 or 9. (9 after I decreased one more time). Just thought this tip might help the next person making this.
I’m so happy I finished the hat and that it looks good and I can wear it proudly. :happydance:
I’ve already got a few requests in to make the hat for others, but luckily spring is coming so they can all wait till next winter…LOL. I just love the simplicity of this hat.
Well, I just finished my hat (I had to figure out how to sew it up and ended up turning it inside out and sewing it that way). I’m a little disappointed with it, as it is quite big and not very ‘stretchy’, although that could just be the wool I used. My DH says it looks like a swimming cap, which is a little offputting. :rollseyes: Anyway, it has got me over my fear of knitting anything other than scarves, so I suppose it has its uses. I don’t have a photo of it at the moment, but I’ll get one this week.
Guess I should check in on this thread more often…
So this may be too late for peev, but hopefully it can help some other folks. I’ve made this hat a bunch of times (I keep getting requests)… so to vary the circumference I’ve done a couple things:
When I’ve made it for a kid, I use a smaller needle
When I made it for myself (I’ve got a “normal” size head) I use the pattern as it is
When I made it for my Dad (his hats always dwarf me), I increased the cast-on to to 120 stitches instead of 90 (basically with a guage of 20 stitches x 24 rows, 10 stitches = 2 more inches in the circumference).
If you increase the cast on, do teh decrease the same as I have listed – it may just take an extra row to get down to a dozen stitches on your needle before you need to bind off.
As for my original instructions that were a bit vague and said “continue in this fashion until 10 to 15 stiches remain” – the reason I put that range there – is because I didn’t remember the exact # of stitches I had left – but 9 or 18 (depending on the row you end on – sounds right. Realize if you increase the cast on, then you could have 10 or 20.
Hopefully that makes sense.
One of the things I really like about this pattern is that its pretty simple, and its not very big – so there’s lots of things you can do to “embellish” it and not get bored – add some decorative stitches, maybe cables? try some intarsia color or some fair-isle color, try converting it to circular needles, practice a different seam on the back – what about adding ear flaps? or a rib all teh way up the hat? lots of possiblities as you learn new knitting techniques.
Thanks for the tips Jessica. I will be making this hat for my neice soon too. Maybe then I will experiment with a pattern of some sort on the front. Or maybe a hat with one stripe across.
One more thing I’ll add for anyone making this hat…if you are going to use kitchener stitch to close the top, end after a decrease row and not a purl row. This totally confused me for awhile. I ended on a purl row and had the hardest time trying to get my tail yarn on the back needle. Thats why I had to decrease one more time. But then all was good
I am just SO excited about his hat I am practically bouncing for joy. :cheering: I have been teaching myself to knit for a little bit now and have been knitting squares which will eventually be sewn together into a quilt but I was getting a bit bored with squares so have been looking for a simplish project to start me off properly. Then I spotted this hat and almost BOUNCED out of my chair! I am making one for my hubby in black and grey with the VW symbol includes because he drives a camper and I drive a karmann ghia! Anyway I haven’t started yet but when I’m done I’ll let you know how I got on… (Or maybe earlier if things go according to type!)
That hat is awsome kids! I would love love love to make one for my buddy who is a vw freak but I have one tiny little question. Whenever I make something that has a picture on it I end up with holes around the picture. Is there a trick to stopping those holes? Or am I doomed to sew 'em up when I get done.
Thanks a bunch!!! :??
Here’s a trick to prevent the holes. When you are about to switch colors, insert your needle in the next stitch, but don’t wrap it yet. Hold the old color yarn over to the left with your left hand. The strand of new color will be hanging closest to the needles. Pick up the new color and wrap the stitch. It will wrap around the old color.
When you purl back the other way, give it a little pull and it will snug up nice and tight.
Question… The picture I made for the middle ended up at 33 st across. Could I just add 9 st to the CO to make it easier on myself, or would that mess up the hat completely? I can’t really alter the design of the picture.
Question… The picture I made for the middle ended up at 33 st across. Could I just add 9 st to the CO to make it easier on myself, or would that mess up the hat completely? I can’t really alter the design of the picture.
i know i posted this problem elsewhere on the board…
so i finished the hat. it looks HORRENDOUS on the back but the front looks fine i guess. i used a bulky yarn instead of the worsted weight… and i also casted on 64 instead and i’m a little bummed because it messed up the decreases.
the pictures below are the finished product.
you see where i circled? those were the problem areas. when you’re stitching up the back it’s supposed to be straight right? because that totally didn’t happen for me.
somebody. help. the plan is to make another one for a friend of mine but i’m not going to give it to him unless it’s flawless. what can i do to decrease the right way?
somebody. help. the plan is to make another one for a friend of mine but i’m not going to give it to him unless it’s flawless. 