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Thursday, January 25, 2007

2nd Annual I-Don't-Have-Cancer-Anymore Baby Hat

Last year, I was so overjoyed to get the news that I am cancer-free, I knit Baby Girl Radiology a hat.

This year, while equally thrilled with the test results, I was too tired and cranky to feel generous enough to knit her a First-Birthday gift (besides, she was obviously too busy partying up, because she had very little to do with my results, and in fact doctors and hospitals gave me so many run-arounds this time, along with other medical issues that have decided to pop up), I figured my baby hat efforts could go to someone who was having an even worse time than I.

I'd promised Jolene a hat and pattern for her hat drive this month. And then hypo-throidism set in, and I was only able to knit very, very, very rarely, because I couldn't handle thinking in anyway. So while I love Jolene (and her amazingly beautiful girls) I just couldn't get it done.

But fortunately, Jolene has decided to continue collecting hats until mid-February, so I can still give her something and only look like a moderate slacker, instead of a truly selfish lump.

And so, I give to you as well - a free pattern for a hat that anyone can knit, anywhere, with any needles.

Seriously. Anywhere - even places where knitting needles are discouraged, if one is desperate. With any needles - because, as Jolene says, cancer comes in all sizes, so you can worry about gauge, or you can not worry about gauge and just knit. No sewing at all. Easy to dress up with stripes or poms or tassels, as you choose. It's the perfect hat for those moments you catch yourself without your project bag, but can put your hands on a ball of yarn (check the bottom of your purse - you wouldn't believe how much yarn I've got hiding down there). It's easy to carry, and quick to memorize, so you won't need to carry a pattern with you. Super-simple and a little bit funky, guaranteed to make any recipient smile, or I'll give you your money back for the (free) pattern.

Without further ado (since no one likes to step in a big ole steaming pile of ado), I give you

THE EARTH HAT
Is it flat? Is it round?


Materials:
2 - 4 oz (depending on hat size) yarn of your choice and appropriate needles to get the fabric you like. In a place where needles are contraband, you may use two pens, pencils, dowels, whatever. Just match the tools with the yarn to get a fabric you like.

1 stitch holder (or pen, or pencil, or dpn, or circ) that is open on both ends.

(Optional Pom-pom maker, buttons, tassels, or other embellishments for each of the two corners)

Notes:
All Slipped stitches are slipped With Yarn In Front


PATTERN:
If you're going for a specific hat size, check sizing standards and CO enough stitches for your gauge to achieve goal size, plus or minus one to arrive at an EVEN number of stitches.

If you're not making the hat for a specific size, any even number will work for cast on, but be realistic - 60 is probably a good number to CO.

*Sl1, PURL 1* (see note below) across for every row until hat is approximately square

You may change colors whenever you like to add stripes, but be sure to work even numbers of rows of each color in order for the stripes to go all the way around the hat (this is not required - be funky and do odd numbers! Have fun with this!)

Rows 1 & 2: Sl1, K1 across
Rows 3 & 4: Sl1, P1 across

Repeat rows 1 - 4 for about one inch, or desired border length, ending after row 3.

Bind off as follows:
*Slip 1 to stitch holder, P1* across one row
BO from needle/pen/pencil.
BO from stitch holder.
Turn hat inside out and attach embellishments at each of the two corners.



Note Below: I know, I know, everyone hates purling (why? because early in their knitting career someone told them it was harder). But you're knitting the hat inside out in order to have a nice sewn-looking top seam. If you Sl1, Knit one for the square portion of the hat, you'll end up with Reverse Stocking Stitch. That's fine with me if it's fine with you.

11 Comments:

Blogger Bess said...

Just glad you're CF!! Everything else comes second to that.

doing a happy dance for you honey.
b

12:13 PM  
Blogger Jody said...

Yeah!! I'm so happy to hear the news! Time to celebrate!

Love the hat pattern too - very cute!

12:36 PM  
Blogger I_dont_blog said...

congratulations!

cute bear--what's his/her name? Looks very well loved. And stylin' in the hat!!

1:52 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Like dem earth hats!

:-)
Happy Dad

2:38 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Congrats to you.
Thanks for the pattern.

2:53 PM  
Blogger Knittinreed said...

Congratulations on your good health (rising a glass in honor of many, many, many, etc, more years of same)

Cute hat!!!!!!!!!!!

6:19 PM  
Blogger Catherine said...

Whoo! Happy news! And blog serendipity strikes again, I had just cast on a really soft, very pretty hat (in my really boring, kinda JCrew-y standard ribbed pattern) and it would be a great cancer cap for a young girl. It's handpainted merino and all roses and purples. I will send it to the cancer cap collection.
P.S.
My verification word is "fugsalt." I want to use that in a sentence.

6:40 PM  
Blogger rho said...

Whoo Hoo love the CF yearly report - and the pattern is cute too -- it is going in my list of things to knit - :D In super soft yarn of course.

why can't I get cool word verifications like catherine -- mine was

nwvuyqd -- and I only hope I get it right the first time ....

9:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Too cute!
Will you make us one Aunt Amie?


Gracie & Emma Loo

9:23 PM  
Blogger Carol said...

Congrats, Amie! I have kind of lost touch with the Knitter's Review, where I used to enjoy your posts, so I am glad to see you're feeling great and cancer-free.

Carol S.

4:16 PM  
Blogger Laura :) said...

Are there places where kntting needles are contraband? Other than maybe airplanes? I don't want to go to those places!!!

YAY and HOORAY for you!

Love,
Laura :)

10:18 AM  

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