If she doesn't like this one...

...she can knit one herself.

I redid this hat, which was returned to me by the recepient because she likes her hats with an upturned brim.



This has got to be the warmest hat EVER. It's basically two hats knit inside each other, giving it a double thickness throughout, plus the brim makes it quadruple thickness around the ears. She'd better like this hat, because I'm kinda tired of remaking them. I'm not crazy about the crown on this one, though, so I may need to redo it.

EDIT: Even though it's really not much of a pattern, I decided to post what I did in case anyone else needs World's Warmest Hat. As always, please do not use this pattern for commercial means (charity bazaars are ok), don't distribute the pattern (just send them to my blog -- it's free!), and let me know if you have any problems (my email is listed on my profile page) and send me pictures of your finished item!

WORLD’S WARMEST HAT

Yarn: Paton’s Classic Merino Wool (100% merino wool, 223 yd/205 m per 100g skein), 2 skeins. You will have a lot of the second skein left over. Hat shown is in Leaf Green.

Needles: US size 8 (5mm) double-pointed needles, set of 5.

Gauge:18 st/4 in in st st. I don't bother measuring row gauge for this, as it's all done in inches.

NOTE: The hat is knit in two steps. Basically, you knit one hat, then pick up stitches along the cast-on edge and knit another hat from that. The second hat folds up inside the first to give you double-thickness, and the brim, therefore, gives two MORE layers around the ears. Because there are two layers, each layer is knit longer than a hat would ordinarily be to accomodate the second layer. If you want your hat to only have one laywer, knit until it measures 7.5 inches before starting decreases (and, obviously, don't pick up for the second layer later).

Directions:

Outer side:Using long-tail method, CO 90 stitches. Divide them among 4 needles to have 30 st on the first needle and 20 on needles 2, 3, and 4.

Join, without twisting.

Work in st st until work measures 9.5 inches from CO edge.

Note: BE SURE TO COUNT ROUNDS, because you’ll need to work the same number of rounds for the lining. To keep track of rows, use a row counter and adjust it each time you come back to needle 1 (the one with 30 st).

Work decreases (be sure to write down how many rounds you worked until the decreases):

Round 1: (k2tog, k8) to end of round. 81 st remaining.
Round 2: (k2tog, k7) to end of round. 72 st remaining.
Round 3: (k2tog, k6) to end of round. 63 st remaining.
Round 4: (k2tog, k5) to end of round. 54 st remaining.
Round 5: (k2tog, k4) to end of round 45 st remaining.
Round 6: (k2tog, k3) to end of round. 36 st remaining.
Round 7: (k2tog, k2) to end of round. 27 st remaining.
Round 8: (k2tog, k1) to end of round. 18 st remaining.

Break off yarn, leaving about 12” tail. Thread through remaining 18 st and pull tightly to gather.

Lining:

With RS of Outer Side facing, pick up and knit 90 st along the CO edge of Outer Side.

Work Cable and Rib pattern (multiple of 10 st):

Round 1: (k2, p2, k4, p2) to end of round.
Round 2: (k2, p2, sl 2 st to cable needle and hold in FRONT of work, k next 2 st, k 2 st from cable needle, p2) to end of round.
Rounds 3-6: Repeat Round 1.

Repeat these 6 rounds until Lining measures 2.5 inches from CO edge. (It took 3 repeats for me, but may take more or fewer depending on your row gauge.) KEEP TRACK of how many rounds you’ve knit.

Switch to st st and work until same number of rounds has been worked for lining as for outer side.

Work Decrease rounds 1-8. Break off yarn, leaving 12” tail. Thread through remaining 18 st and pull tightly to gather.

Finishing: Fold hat so that the lining is on the inside. Thread yarn tails at top of hat through tapestry needle, line up tops of lining and inside, and sew them together with a couple of stitches. Turn hat inside out (lining facing) and weave in all ends and trim (if you plan on blocking the hat, wait until after blocking to trim the ends). Turn hat outside out and fold up brim.

Nina's scarf -- now with pattern!

So I finished the scarf for my surrogate grandmother. Yes, in June. Yes, it's wool. No, I didn't like working on it :) Yes, I still have to make a matching hat!

It's a basic cabled keyhole scarf. I made it a bit longer than most keyhole scarves I've seen, because I wanted the ends to keep the chest warm. I also slipped the LAST stitch in each row, as I read Charlene Schurch does in Sensational Knitted Socks, because that way the slipped stitch is picked up and worked right away, preventing it from stretching out. I'm pretty pleased with it -- it's thick from the cables, warm and soft from the wool, nice and even, and a gorgeous color (I have a thing for green).

So here's me, wearing a T-shirt, skirt, and a THICK WOOL SCARF in the backyard, where it's like 90 degrees. My neighbors musta thought I was nuts, especially with my husband taking pictures.


All folded and benign on the picnic table:



So anyway, I made it up as I went along, and it's really self-explanatory, but I thought I'd write up the pattern for practice. Let me know if you make it, and send pictures! ...I'm sure there are mistakes.

Oh, and copyright stuff -- the design is mine, don't steak it to pass off as your own. If you make it, give me credit. Feel free to sell a couple of the FINISHED scarves for "pin money" or for charity auctions, just don't make a business out of mass-producing and selling them, and be sure to give me credit. Feel free to make as many scarves as you want for yourself and as gifts. Feel free to photocopy this pattern for your own convenience, but if someone else wants a copy, send them to my site -- it is, after all, free.


Nina's Scarf

Materials: Paton's Classic Merino Wool, 3 skeins (although I barely used the 3rd skein). Shown in Leaf
Needles: US size 8 (5mm)
Notions: Cable needle
Tapestry needle

Dimensions: 7.5 inches wide, 48 inches long

Gauge: Not terribly important, but 32st and 27 rows = n in cable-and-rib pattern, completely unstretched (16st/4in stretched)

Cable-and-Rib pattern: (multiples of 10 + 4sts)

Row 1 (right side): k1, (k2, p2, k4, p2) to last 3 stitches, k2, sl1 as if to purl
Row 2: p1, (p2, k2, p4, k2) to last 3 stitches, p2, sl1
Row 3: Repeat Row 1
Row 4: Repeat Row 2
Row 5: k1, (k2, p2, slip next 2 sts to cable needle and hold in FRONT of work, knit next 2 sts, then knit 2 st from cable needle, p2)
Row 6: Repeat Row 2

Repeat rows 1-6 to desired length

Directions:

CO 64 sts

Work 14 repeats of Cable-and-Rib pattern, ending with Row 6 (scarf measures about 12 inches from CO edge)

Work right side of keyhole:

Row 1 (right side): K1, (k2, p2, k4, p2) 3 times, sl1, TURN leaving the rest of the stitches unworked (you can place them on a holder)
You now have 32 stitches on a needle, and 32 unworked stitches on a holder
Row 2: p1, (p2, k2, p4, k2) 3 times, k2, sl1
Row 3: Repeat Row 1
Row 4: Repeat Row 2
Row 5: k1, (k2, p2, slip next 2 sts to cable needle and hold in FRONT of work, knit next 2 sts, then knit 2 st from cable needle, p2) 3 times, sl1
Row 6: Repeat Row 4

Repeat rows 1-6 on the 32 sts of the right side of keyhole 4 times, then rows 1-5 once more (scarf measures approximately 17 in from CO edge)

Place stitches on holder and break off yarn.

Work left side of keyhole:

Starting from the center of the scarf, join yarn and work the left 32 sts of the scarf as follows:

Row 1 (right side): k1, (p2, k4, p2, k2) 3 times, sl1
Row 2: p1, (p2, k2, p4, k2) 3 times, sl1
Row 3: Repeat Row 1
Row 4: Repeat Row 2
Row 5: k1, (p2, slip next 2 sts to cable needle and hold in FRONT of work, knit next 2 sts, then knit 2 st from cable needle, p2, k2) 3 times, sl1
Row 6: Repeat Row 2

Continue working left side of keyhole pattern as described, repeating rows 1-6 4 times, and then rows 1-5 once more (left side is same length as right side of keyhole)

Join the two sides of the keyhole:

Work Row 6 of the Cable-and-Rib pattern across the 32 sts of the left side of keyhole, then work across the 32 sts of the right side from the holder. 64 sts.

Repeat Rows 1-6 of Cable-and-Rib pattern 33 times more, ending on Row 4 (scarf measures 48 in).

Bind off in pattern.

Weave in ends and block if desired.