Wedge Hat for Fall

 
Click to download this pattern as a printable PDF file
The stats:
Started: 17 Sept
Finished: 19 Sept
Yarn: Zitron Turmalin, 2 skeins, colorways: [300 3475] & [340 3669]
Pattern: No Swatch Method of Hatmaking, knit top down

- Increased 8 stitches, every other row

-  When circle was big enough, worked a 2 rows of garter (K1 row, P1 row) then picked up each stitch two rows back on the inside/back side, and continued knitting (this makes a gater welt on the external side of hat)

- Decreased using SKPSSO (slip 1, knit one, pass the slipped stitch over the knit stitch.) I wanted a wedge shape, so I decreased 10% (K8, skpsso) about every other row until the diameter fit my head.

Note: I  tried lots of decreases, looking fo the most subtle to use, and placed the decreases randomly. However, with a bulky yarn, it is pretty hard to hide a decrease. The only thing I would change is to decrease consistently rather than randomly (K8, skpsso at each decrease row ). Note! Since I made this hat, I saw Cat Bordi's video on You Tube about how to neaten decreases -- looks like I could have made them look neater by knitting SSK in the decrease row, then knitting in the back of the stitich in the next round above the decrease. See Cat's video tutorial here.(she shows this in the last minute of the video).
- The edge was about 4 rows of garter (in the round: K1 row, P1 row), then bound-off with EZ's sewn bind off. (This garter edge is folded back when the hat is worn.)

- I finshed the hat a touch snug (you can try on as you go) - because I knew that blocking the hat would relax it some. It did.

Subtle Striping, Sometimes
Inspired by Brooklyn Tweed's 2-color scarf using two beautiful yarns. Designed on-the-fly from the top down, using the technique of alternating every row with yarn 1, then yarn 2.
I purchased the yarn while on holiday (you always do that, don't you? Buy yarn and needles on holiday?) It is a slightly-felted pencil roving. I wanted a firm fabric, so I knit it on size 10 (US) needles rather than the recommended 15 (US). See my previous blog entry to view the yarn.
Note on the needles - I bought Bryson flexible circular needles and I'm enjoying knitting with them, and I am a dyed-in-the-wool lover of Addi Turbos!
I used the no-swatch method of hat making (you design as-you-go and the hat always fits).
The two important design elements to make the hat work in the wedge shape: firm fabric, and decreases from the top of the hat to the brim.
A final note, this is expensive (!!) yarn, running at $22 USD per skein. I didn't want to waste one bit, so I knit a dickie to go with the hat and ended up with about 2 yards of yarn left!
Both hat and dickie are knit in the round, using two circular needles instead of dpns.

Update: Warm colorway using a bulky yarn "Loft" by Zitron. It was about half the diameter yarn as the original hat. I knit the hat brim a bit deeper - as the yarn seemed to need it. The beauty of knitting from the top down - make it work for the yarn you are using!