We are bringing you a new feature to our blog! Every second Friday of the month, we will feature a design by one of our customers. We will start off this tradition with a new pattern by Kathy McGuire. Kathy created a lovely Snowman Hat that every child will love. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do. To contact Kathy, please email her at this link.
Knitting loom: KB All-in-One loom set up with two sliders.
Yarn: Approximately 50 yards each of worsted weight in red, green and white. Approximately one yard each of black and orange.
Notions: knitting tool, row counter, crochet hook, tapestry needle and (optional) pompom maker
Gauge: 4 stitches and 6 rows per inch in stitch pattern.
Abbreviations:
CO: cast on
EW: E wrap
P: purl stitch
St(s): stitches
Rnd(s): round
Rep: repeat
BO: Bind off
Pattern Notes:
This pattern is worked in the round.
In this pattern, after round 46, you will begin decreasing stitches to form the taper of the hat. With each decrease, you will move the stitches on the four corners in one peg. After moving the stitches, you will then move both sliders in one peg, in line with the pegs that have two stitches.
INSTRUCTIONS
Set knitting loom to work 46 pegs in the round, with sliders at both ends. Place a stitch marker on peg 12 – you will begin the CO on this peg. This is important for the tapering to work out.
Beginning at peg 12, EW CO all 46 pegs
Rnd 1-4 : *EW using red yarn
Rnd 5-8: Without cutting red yarn, EW using green yarn*
Rnds 9-16: Rep from * to*
Rnd 17-20: EW using red yarn. Cut red yarn leaving about a 6″ tail
Forming the brim: bring the CO loops up through the center of loom. Lining up the loops, place one loop on each peg. You will now have two loops on each peg. Lift bottom loop on each peg over the top loop.
Rnd 21-34: EW using white yarn. Cut white yarn leaving about a 6″ tail
For the remaining Rounds, you will be knitting alternate rows of red and green. Carry yarn to the inside of loom when not using. Do not cut.
Rnd 35-42: Using red yarn, make four sets of garter stitch (alternating rows of EW and P).
Rnd 43-46: EW using green yarn. Do not cut yarn.
Rnd 47: *Move the St(s) from each corner peg in one peg. (For example, in this round you will move peg 1 to peg 2; peg 23 to peg 22; peg 29 to peg 30 and peg 41 to peg 40). Move the sliders in one peg to line up with pegs that have two St(s). EW using red yarn, turning pegs with two loops as one.
Rnd 48-50: EW using red yarn.
Rnd 51: Move the St(s) from each corner peg in one peg and line up sliders. EW using green yarn, turning pegs with two loops as one.
Rnd 52-54: EW using green yarn.*
Rnd 55-86: Rep from * to *.
Rnd 87-90: Rep Rnd(s) 47-50
Cut both yarns leaving a 12″ tail
Using both yarns held together as one, BO using drawstring bind off. Remove hat from loom and drop the yarn tails inside the opening at top of hat. Turn hat inside out and close top by pulling on the yarn tails. Cut yarn tails to about 5″. Weave in all ends. Turn hat right side out.
Make a pom pom and attach to top of hat.
(Optional) Using a length of white yarn, make three (or more) “snowflakes” on front of snowmans “hat” (the garter ridges).
Eyes: Make a chain of 25 stitches using black yarn and crochet hook, leaving 6″ tail at beginning and end of chain. Coil up the chain and stitch together using the yarn tails then stitch eyes onto hat.
Nose: Using either bulky weight or two strands held together as one of orange worsted weight, form a short i-cord using three pegs of the loom. Bind off. Slightly stretch the i-cord so that the bind off edge is wider than the other end and attach to hat.