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Monday, April 18, 2011

Free Pattern! Southport



This is a very simple, top-down ribbed hat that can be made as slouchy or as un-slouchy as you want. Fold up the edge, and you have a cozy beanie. Fold only the bottom, and you have a luxurious slouchy cap.

For this hat I used Noro Aya, a lovely combination of silk, cotton, and wool. I may try a second with Malabrigo merino worsted in Tortoise, which will be a much more masculine hat, and give it to Mr. Doug. (This hat was originally for him, but although he likes working with these colors in art, they really aren't colors he would normally wear. That's the kind of error one makes when one knits someone a hat after a single date...)

Fortunately for all of us, I wrote the pattern down as I knit it, and came up with a very simple design.

Materials: about 130 yards of any light worsted or dk yarn. For more memory, go with a wool yarn, but when tightly knit, cotton and silk work as well.
Set of 5 US4 double-pointed needles (or size needed to obtain gauge)
US4 16" circular needle (or size needed to obtain gauge)
1 stitch marker
yarn needle

Gauge: 17 stitches by 32 rows = 4" x 4" in stockinette
Important: Check your gauge because I personally have a very loose one. Aya recommends needle sizes between 5 and 7.

Special instructions:
m1R: Insert your left needle, from the front, under the yarn between the needles, making a new stitch. Knit that stitch through the back loop.
m1L: Insert your left needle, from the back, under the yarn between the needles, making a new stitch. Knit that stitch.

With your dpns, cast on 8 stitches. Divide between 4 needles and join in the round. Knit the first round.
Round 2: knit the front and the back of every stitch (kfb).

Round 3: knit.

Round 4: *kfb, k, kfb, k, repeat from *

Round 5: *k, p, k2, p, k, repeat from *

Round 6: *kfb, p, k2, pfb, k, repeat from *

Round 7: k1, (p2, k2) till last 3 stitches, p2, k1

Round 8: *k1, m1L, p2, k2, p2, m1r, k1, repeat from *

Round 9: *k2, p2, k2, p2, k2, repeat from *

Round 10: *k1, m1L, k1, p2, k2, p2, k1, m1r, k1, repeat from *

Round 11: *k3, p2, k2, p2, k3, repeat from *

Round 13: *kfb, k2, p2, k2, p2, k1, kfb, k1, repeat from *

Round 14: *k1, p1, (k2, p2) twice, k2, p1, k1, repeat from *

Round 15: *kfb, p1, (k2, p2) twice, k2, pfb, k1, repeat from *

Round 16: k1, (p2, k2) till last 3 stitches, p2, k1

Round 17: *k1, m1L, (p2, k2) 3 times, p2, m1r, k1, repeat from *

Round 18: *(k2, p2) 4 times, k2, repeat from *

Round 19: *k1, m1L, (p2, k2) 3 times, p2, k1, m1r, k1, repeat from *

Round 20: *k3, (p2, k2) 4 times, k1, repeat from *

Round 21: *kfb, (k2, p2) 4 times, k1, kfb, k1, repeat from *

Round 22: *k1, p1, (k2, p2) 4 times, k2, p1, k1, repeat from *

Round 23: *kfb, p1, (k2, p2) 4 times, k2, pfb, k1, repeat from *


When necessary, switch to 16" circulars, marking the start of the round with a marker. When finished with the increases, feel free to remove the marker and simply work in a 2x2 rib. Continue until your hat measures 9" from the top, or until desired length. Trust me that if your hat is much longer, it may look kind of silly.


Block very lightly, and weave in ends.