After a looooong (and unintentional) knitting hiatus of a year, it’s safe to say I’ve caught the bug again.  I first learned to knit in 2012, shortly after Olive was born.  It has quickly become one of my favorite hobbies.  I find it relaxing, inspiring and something that feeds my desire to work creatively with my hands.  I have a lot of expectant mama friends in my life right now and felt compelled to pick up the needles and knit some sweet little hats.  They make perfect, heartfelt heirlooms to add to any shower present.  They are also a super quick knit, due to their petite size.  Nothing is more satisfying that finishing a quickie knitting project!  Even with my crazy schedule, I have managed to knit 3 hats in a week and already have the fourth one in the works!  I tend to knit after Olive goes to bed, sitting with a cup of tea and a cozy blanket on the couch.  It’s a great way to unwind after a long day!

Working with some beautiful yarns by AraucaniaSwans Island Co., Rowan, Manos del Uruguay and Misti Alpaca.  I admit I’m a bit of a yarn snob, but working with beautiful yarns is part of what makes knitting so enjoyable for me.

You can find tons of newborn hat patterns online, but I decided to wing it based on what I had in my yarn stash.  I’m using lots of worsted weight yarns and a size 6 – 12″ circular needle (I swear by Addi Turbo needles and could never look back after switching).  My simple pattern is to CO 88 stitches, join in the round, and do a simple K2P2 brim (1.5″ish).  Then, I knit in the round until I have 3.75-4″ from the CO edge.  The decrease pattern is:

K6, k2tog until end of round, then work one complete knit round. (77 stitches)  K5, k2tog until end of round, then work one complete knit round. (66 stitches) K4, k2tog until end of round, then work one complete knit round. (55 stitches) K3, k2tog until end of round, then work one complete knit round. (44 stitches.  This is where I start transferring to dpns — I like the rosewood cubics dpns from Knitter’s Pride.) K2, k2tog until end of round, then work one complete knit round. (33 stitches)  K1, k2tog until end of round, then work one complete knit round. (22 stitches) K2tog for an entire round. (11 stitches)  Then, K2tog five times, and knit the last remaining stitch (6 stitches).  Using a tapestry needle, run the remaining yarn through the live stitches, pull tight and down through the hat, and weave in the ends inside the hat.

Of course, if you use lighter weight yarns, you’ll want a smaller needle and more stitches.  If you use a chunkier yarn, grab a larger needle and fewer stitches.  Play around and see what works for you.  The Purl Bee has 3 great (free!) patterns for newborn baby hats using their line weight yarn and you can see they CO 108 stitches and use a size 2 needle.

I’m totally on a roll right now and hope to finish 15-20 hats in the next month, so I can gift them to all the mamas-to-be in my life.  Any knitters out there??  I’d love to know what’s currently on your needles!

I hope you’re all having a great week so far.  My 2015 is off to an amazing start and I hope the same is true for you!

Comments (1)

  1. Ashley: July 20, 2015

    My patterns are usually chunky and big; US6-8 circular bamboo needles with a 9 inch ring. I cast on 64 stitches of a medium weight yarn, do a k2p2 after the first round, usually for about six rows. Then my standard pattern is k2 p3 k6 p3 k2 for one round then on the second round I k2 p3 then slip 2 forward, k2, k4 (2 being cast back on) then p3, k2 and repeat. I do another round of k2 p3 k6 p3 k2 then I go around again with k2 p3 k2, slip 2 back, k2 then knit slipped back stitches, p3, k2 and repeat. Keep doing this until you get a point you like then start tapering the hat down.

    Lovely little braided hat to keep a new one warm.

    Loved the commercial. Thank you for showing the celebration of a new family member through adoption.

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