Straight Needle Watchman's Cap for Beginners

How-to Questions
1

Okay so I’m a beginner and I wanted to make a "World War II Watchmans Cap (Beanie No. 212) on straight needles (I have included the portion of the pattern I am using below). I have completed the first section and am ready to start the crown shaping. I realized that it did not clarify that I would have to purl alternate rows to keep to my stockinette stitch. However I am stymied with the decrease process. If I start my knit row with the knit one, slip one, passover, how will I start my purl row? Are the decrease stitches the same above each other from row to row or do the alternate? Looking forward to someone’s help.

Beginners - Straight Needle option:

Crown shaping:

Place stitch markers as follows:

112 st hat = place a stitch marker after 37 stitches, then place a second stitch marker after 37 stitches so that 38 stitches follow the second marker. Stitches will be divided on needle this way:

37 stitches, marker, 38 stitches, marker, 38 stitches Decrease 1 stitch on each side of marker as follows:
*knit 1, slip 1, knit 1, pass the slipped stitch over the knitted stitch (“slip-k-pass”), knit to within 3 stitches of next marker, knit 2 stitches together (k2 tog), knit to the last stitch; repeat from * until 4 stitches remain on each side of the stitch markers. For the last decrease, only make the decreases necessary for 12 stitches to remain on the needle.

2

Welcome to KnittingHelp!

The pattern for both the cap knit flat and in the round doesn’t really specify which rows to decrease on. Usually, it’s every other row but this cap wants a flatter top than the usual beanie. Knit flat you’ll have to dec on the purl side. Use a purl2tog through the back loop in place of the slip-k-pass and use a purl2tog in place of the k2tog. That’ll keep the slant of the decreases.

The decreases should stack up row after row. You can see that in the second photo on the Ravelry page.

Could you also please edit the pattern in your post to remove the first part, leaving just the dec instructions? We get into copyright problems with too much of a pattern copied on the forum.

3

Thank you so much and I’ll be more careful with my posts in the future.

Really appreciate the clarifications, I was stumped and now I’m not