chilekat's latest photos on Grows on You, where garden ideas are shared.

Sunday 15 November 2009

Kat's "Two-Sticks" Ear Flap Ski Hat

At last!!!!! If like me, you have spent ages trawling the net for a hat pattern that does not require circular needles or the dreaded DPNs (yanking out clumps of your hair in the process) then you have come to the right place!


I have taken all the best bits from the patterns I have found and made the ultimate - only two sticks required - hat complete with ear flaps! It seems only fair to share it and hope that it saves others like me any further hair loss.
Well what are you waiting for?! Get on with it.......
ABBREVIATIONS:
k = knit
p = purl
beg = begin
k2tog = knit 2 together
RS = right side
WS = wrong side
sl = slip
St st = Stockinette
sts = stitch(es)
WS = wrong side
SIZE: Small, Medium, Large.
Finished Circumference 19¼ (20¼, 22¼) inches.
Note: The numbers in brackets are for the bigger sizes! Where you see one number, it applies to all sizes.
YOU WILL NEED:
5mm Needles. Yup, that's it; just 1 pair of 5mm needles - can you believe it?!!!
Chunky wool in whatever colour you would like. The pattern is written as if it's all one colour - just change wool wherever you would like to add stripes of colour.
The design also works in Aran with no need to change size, though it makes a thinner hat.
Earflaps (make 2)
Cast on 3 sts. Work in k1, p1 rib until you have an 8 inch length for the tie.
******K1, p1 rib is just knitting one then purling one then knitting one again, then purling one again and so on until you reach the end, then doing the same on the wrong side.***********
Row 1: inc1, K1, inc1 – 5 sts.
Row 2: Knit row
Row 3: inc1, K3, inc1 – 7 sts.
Row 4: Knit row
Row 5: inc1, K5, inc1 – 9 sts.
Row 6: Knit row
Row 7: inc1, K7, inc1 – 11 sts.
Row 8: Knit row

Continue as established, increasing 2 sts of each row until there are 23 sts; ending on a WS row.
Slip stitches onto a spare needle or holder.
Make a second Earflap the same, adding this to the spare needle/stitch holder.

Joining it all up:
Cast on 6 (8, 10) sts then knit across 23 earflap sts. Then cast on another 19 (19, 23) sts, knit across 23 stitches of second earflap and then cast on 6 (8, 10) sts – 77 (81, 89) sts.
Work even in St st until piece measures 5 (5½, 6) inches above joining row, end with a RS row.
Next Row: Purl, decrease 5 (1, 1) sts evenly across row – 72 (80, 88) sts.

Decrease for top:
Row 1 (RS): *K6, k2tog; rep from * across row – 63 (70, 77) sts.
Row 2 and WS rows: Purl.
Row 3: *K5, k2tog; rep from * across row – 54 (60, 66) sts.
Row 5: *K4, k2tog; rep from * across row – 45 (50, 55) sts.
Row 7: *K3, k2tog; rep from * across row – 36 (40, 44) sts.
Row 9: *K2, k2tog; rep from * across row – 27 (30, 33) sts.
Row 11: *K1, k2tog; rep from * across row – 18 (20, 22) sts.
Row 13: K2tog across – 9 (10, 11) sts.
Row 15: K2tog across, end k1 (0, 1) – 5 (5, 6) sts.

And finally:
Cut the wool, leaving a good length tail; enough to sew down the seam. Thread the tail through remaining sts and pull tightly together to secure.
Sew him up and slap him on yer head!!!!!!!!!!! Beautiful.
Kat xx

20 comments:

Unknown said...

Thank you so much Kat for this pattern! I can't afford circulars and my Walmart doesn't sell dp's anymore. I'm constantly trolling the net for two-stick patterns. Thanks!

kathryn said...

Thanks so much for the pattern. I've made one for a friend who is training for a mountain walking challenge, however I love it so much I'm about to start one for myself.
PS we share the same name... even surname..even spelling.... !

Chillikat said...

Hey fellow Kathryn!! Are you Welsh too?! ;-)

Glad to hear you love the pattern :-)

La Ptite Bete said...

Thank you very much for the pattern, Kat ! I've made your ski hat for a friend, you can see it there :
http://meule-de-foin.blogspot.com/2010/02/couvre-chef-again.html
:o)

Anonymous said...

Glad to have found this pattern! I prefer knitting hats with two sticks and can't wait to try this one out. Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
mirandamcd said...

Hi

Thanks a lot for the pattern. I just finished making one for my husband and he loves it. I can't use dpns at all so I am always looking for patterns on 2 needles. Have you thought about sharing your pattern on ravelry.com? There is nothing like it on there. Thanks again and take care Miranda

Anonymous said...

I used Plymouth Encore Worsted weight. My husband loves his hat! I also made one for myself and now I'm making two for some friends. Thanks again for sharing the pattern! http://www.flickr.com/photos/noelwright/5348237982/

Dr Carolyn said...

Thank you for this pattern - I'm a "pit knitter" as this is the only way that I can hold my tension consistently.

I have access to some homespun wool, which is not "classified" as to DK, chunky, etc.

What is the gauge - How many stitches per inch/mm do you get using the 5mm needles?
Thanks

Sharon said...

Fantastic Kat!!- you solved my dilemma - I needed this 2 stick had pattern for a friend who hasn't yet tried circulars, but wants so badly to make a nice ear flap hat - You are the answer - thank you so much!!

Marcia said...

I used your hat pattern (knit in the round though) to make this great alien hat for my daughter. www.bluebobbin.blogspot.com Thanks!

Liz Helton said...

thank you so much, i do however like to use circular needs, but have as of yet to knit in the rounds and do not like dpns at all. thanks for making a pattern with single pointed needles, so i can keep all my hair! nice job, beautiful hat!

Niki said...

How in the world do I end the ear flaps? Do I just make a tail??

Niki said...

Oh, and what side is the wrong side? You never say. Or is it always the even rows?

Unknown said...

Thanks so much for this. I hate to say it, but I have been knitting for quite some time and have never bothered learning how to use DPNs. I am always looking for patterns and books that require straight needles. So, hats of and danke very much!!!
~ Rhiannon

Jess Kittychan said...

Hello how many yards/grams of yarn did you use for this? I want to make a larger size hat so I am trying to figure out how much yarn I need! Thanks!

Smiter1955 said...

can you please indicate how much chunky yarn was needed. Thanks

Unknown said...

Fantastic pattern! I have made three in three days, using all my oddments up so they are stripey! thank you so much for this pattern

Unknown said...

I love this pattern! Thank you so much for putting this out there! I was getting so discouraged trying to find one! Do you think you'll make a cable stich pattern in the same style hat?

seabz63 said...

I'm flummoxed!! I've knitted the first earflap, and placed those stitches on a holder....how do I start the second earflap??? It seems casting on 3 from the last stitch is going to make them too close together??? I LOVE the fact that this hat is on straight needles and can't wait to finish!!! but for the life of me I can't figure out how to start the second earflap!! HELP! lol