Pink hat

I received some beautiful pink wool in my Red/Pink Color-iffic swap-o-rama package. It's a merino/microfibre/cashmere blend called Debbie Bliss cashmerino superchunky. I decided it was the perfect wool to make a new hat. Some may remember the orange hat I posted here previously. If not, here it is: I bought the orange hat and embroidered it with a bird on a branch. I really like the shape, so I thought I'd try to work out a pattern for it. What I came up with worked out quite well (after lots and lots of frogging), although I had to resign myself to buying a 2nd ball of yarn in order to not be left with what basically amounted to a beanie. After a trip to Romni I have to say thank you again to my swap partner because it was expensive ($20/ball)! It's worth it because it really is gorgeous, it's soft, heavy, lovely to knit with and even nicer to wear. Plus I have another 1/2 skein left and I'll make something else with that.

And finally, I was inspired by the beautiful felted wool decorations on Ingrid's scarf, and I made a similar decoration for the pink hat. I stole some teeny bits of Bradley's current scarf wool in navy blue, tan, dark green and orange, and made little felted balls and a leaf. I love the way they look against the pink. Here's a picture: One person on Flickr asked me if I had a pattern for the orange hat, and so I'll share how I made it for her and anyone else who might be interested. First I have to say I'm not an expert knitting pattern designer, so as you can see in the picture the stitch decreases show. If anyone would like to suggest improvements, or point out mistakes, your feedback is welcome.

Pink hat pattern
Ingredients: roughly one and a half 100 gram skeins of Debblie Bliss cashmerino superchunky, or wool yarn of similar thickness. Gauge: 10 stitches of K1 P1 rib is roughly 3 inches wide. I think I have a somewhat large head, it's roughly 23 inches in circumference.

• CO 72 stitches using 4 mm (size 6) circular needles, add a marker at the beginning
• K1 P1 rib for 3 rows
• switch to 6mm (size 10) needles. K2, K2tog, add a marker halfway around circle, at marker K2, K2tog, then knit to end (70 stitches remain)
• purl row
• Double decrease row: K2 K2tog, knit until marker, K2 K2tog, knit to end (68 stitches remain)
• purl row
• Double decrease row (66 stitches remain)
• knit row/purl row six times
• Double decrease row (64 stitches remain)
• purl row
• Double decrease row (62 stitches remain)
• purl row
• Double decrease row (60 stitches remain)
• purl row
• Double decrease row (56 stitches remain)
• purl row
• Double decrease row (54 stitches remain)
• purl row
• Double decrease row (52 stitches remain)
• purl row
• Double decrease row (50 stitches remain)
• purl row
• Double decrease row (48 stitches remain)
• purl row. add 2 more markers between the first two so that the circle is divided evenly into four sections
• Quadruple decrease row: K2, K2tog, knit to next marker, K2, K2tog, knit to next marker, K2, K2tog, knit to next marker, K2, K2tog, knit to end (44 stitches remain)
• purl row
• Quadruple decrease row (40 stitches remain). switch to 5mm (size 8) double pointed needles
• Octuple decrease row: K2, K2tog twice, knit to next marker, K2, K2tog twice, knit to next marker, K2, K2tog twice, knit to next marker, K2, K2tog twice, knit to end (32 stitches remain)
• purl row
• Octuple decrease row (24 stitches remain)
• purl row
• Octuple decrease row (16 stitches remain)
• K2 tog eight times (8 stitches remain)
• purl row
• cut yarn, pull thread through remaining 8 stitches and tie/stitch it down
• weave in ends

Add decoration as you wish, embroidery, appliqué or leave it plain. You can switch colours to make it in two colours, or stripes, or blend yarns. I made felt balls by winding separated "ply"s of wool into a tiny ball, then rolling in my hands using soap and hot water intermittently.