These tiny hats will make an unforgettable decoration to your Easter celebration as well as a cute Easter gift for your loved ones.
It’s also a great way to use up yarn ends, and to have some knitting fun while trying out Armenian way of carrying yarn at the back of the work.
MATERIALS
Yarn – Knitca Delight yarn, 100% superwash merino wool, 150m / 164yds in a 50g / 1.7oz ball: use a bright colour as a main colour and white as a contrasting colour. For each hat you will need about 10m / 11yds of yarn.
Needles – 3.25mm (US3) double pointed needles
Notions – wool needle, stitch marker, for making pompom – two cardboard circles 3 cm (1.25”) in diameter with inner hole 1 cm (3/8”) in diameter.
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Circumference – 14cm / 5.5”
Length (without pompom) – 5cm / 2”
GAUGE
26 stitches and 32 rounds = 4” / 10cm in stockinette stitch
NOTE
The hat is worked in the round using Armenian technique of carrying yarns at the back of the work – twist main and contrasting colour yarns at the back of the work after each stitch. Make sure to twist yarns in the same direction after each stitch in one round.
SPECIAL ABBREVIATION
SSK – slip one stitch as if to knit, slip next stitch as if to knit, put these 2 stitches back on the left needle and knit them together through the back loop
INSTRUCTIONS
1. With main colour cast on 33 stitches, divide all stitches between 4 needles (8, 8, 8 and 9 stitches), then join stitches for working in the round by knitting first and last stitches together. Now you have 32 stitches on 4 needles. Place a stitch marker at the place of join to mark the beginning of the round.
2. Work 4 rounds in garter stitch:
Round 1: knit all stitches
Round 2: purl all stitches
Round 3: knit all stitches
Round 4: purl all stitches
3. Attach contrasting colour and work in colour pattern in stockinette stitch as follows:
Rounds 5-8: [knit 4 stiches with white, knit 4 stitches with main colour], repeat brackets to the end of the round
Rounds 9-12: [knit 4 stitches with main colour, knit 4 stitches with white], repeat brackets to the end of the round
Round 13: [with white – knit 1 stitch, SSK, knit 1 stitch; with main colour – knit 1 stitch, SSK, knit 1 stitch], repeat brackets to the end of the round
Rounds 14-15: [knit 3 stitches with white, knit 3 stitches with main colour], repeat brackets to the end of the round
Round 16: [with main colour – knit 1 stitch, SSK; with white – knit 1 stitch, SSK], repeat brackets to the end of the round
Round 17: [knit 2 stitches with main colour, knit 2 stitches with white], repeat brackets to the end of the round
4. Cut the yarn leaving a 10cm / 4″ tail. Thread the yarn tail into a wool needle and draw it through remaining 16 stitches. Pull tight and secure the yarn.
5. With main colour yarn make a pompom 3cm (1.25”) in diameter and attach it to the top of the hat.
6. Weave in loose ends.
With hats like that, you don’t even need to dye eggs. Simply draw a smiley face on each egg with a marker, and you are all set for the Easter party.
