Hello there!
I completed my mission hats about 2 weeks ago and dropped them off, but hadn’t had a chance to post them yet.
I ended up making about 16 of them. Not as many as other years, but with moving houses and starting up my own business, time got away from me.
It’s a simple pattern that’s suited for anyone because of the ribbing (it has good stretch) and also the brim can be folded up as little or as much as needed.
It knits up really quickly using chunky yarn. I used Bernat Softee Chunky that I purchased from YarnCanada.ca.
If you would like to make a hat or 2 of your own, here’s the pattern
MATERIALS:
US size 10.5 needles
100 yards of chunky yarn (total)
Darning needle
NOTE: THIS HAT IS KNIT FLAT AND SEAMED
PATTERN:
Knit 1, Purl 1 across every row until the decrease.
DIRECTIONS:
Cast on 60 stitches with your first colour.
Follow the above pattern until your piece measures 5″ (approx. 20 rows) ending on the same side as your cast on “tail”.
Tie on your second colour.
For the first row with your new colour, knit across the entire row. This prevents your second colour from showing through the stitches of your first colour giving you a nice, clean colour change.
After your one row of knit stitches, continue with the knit 1, purl 1 pattern until your second colour measures 5″, ending on the same side as your cast on “tail”.
DECREASE:
With the cast on “tail” on your right hand side, knit 2 stitches together, purl 2 stitches together across the row. You will end up with 30 stitches.
The next row, knit 1, purl 1 across the row.
The next row, knit 2 stitches together, purl 2 stitches together across the row. You will now have 15 stitches.
For the final row, purl 1, knit 1 across the row ending with purl 1.
Cut off your yarn leaving about 8″. Thread your yarn through a darning needle and lift the stitches off the knitting needle and onto the darning needle.
Pull tight so the top closes and start sewing up the hat using an invisible stitch.
Once you get to the end of the top colour, cut off your yarn and tie on about 8″ of yarn of the bottom colour and continue sewing up your hat.
Once at the end, knot your yarn and weave in your ends.
Alternately, you can make the hat just one colour. The hat uses exactly 1 ball of the Bernat Softee Chunky.
So, I think this hat pattern is going to be my go-to pattern for next year for all my Mission hats. And I think I’ll start much, MUCH earlier so I can get more done. 😀
If you decide to make some too for your local charity, I would love to see them. Send me a photo at diana.poirier@yahoo.ca.
Happy knitting!
Diana
Peartree Knitting 