Piece of Cake Hat

A friend gave me 3 balls of Dale of Norway's "Free Style" and I didn't know what to do with it so I decided to knit her a hat. I found a "free" pattern on Kids Knits that uses the same yarn. It takes 2 balls to make an infant/toddler's hat and 3 balls for an adolescent, teen, or adult hat. I changed the original pattern so I could knit it in the round. I changed the tie from a crocheted to an I-cord and instead of hemming the headband I knitted it.

Here are my instructions:

Terri’s Modified Piece-of-Cake Hat Using Dale of Norway “Freestyle” yarn

So cute, yet so simple! Great in solids, but you can add stripes; embroidery, fair isle or intarsia motifs...the possibilities are endless! Instructions are for sizes: infant, (toddler, adolescent, teen and adult).

Yarn: 2(2, 3, 3, 3) 50g balls of Dale of Norway’s washable worsted weight wool “Freestyle” or similar wool.

Needles: US size 6 or 7 (4 or 4.5 mm) circular knitting needles and a darning needle. Use size necessary to obtain gauge.

Cast on: 76(80, 84, 88, 92) sts. Join ends and work in st st for 18 rows or until work measures 3”. *K2tog, yo; rep from * across row until only 2 sts remain, k2tog. Work in st st and increase 1 st at edge on the next row. (holes are 2 rows high). You’re back to 76(80, 84, 88, 92) sts. Work in st st for 18 rows. With another circular needle of a smaller size put the stitches you cast on back on the needle. Start with a stitch that’s parallel to the stitch you’ve just ended with on Row 38 (18 rows + 2 rows + 18 rows). Fold the knitting in half, purl side to purl side. Lay the needles together and k2tog (1 st from each needle, i.e. one from each edge). Try to knit loosely so the hat won’t be too tight. The holes when folded in half will form a zigzag pattern. Continue knitting. Work in st st until piece measures 7 (7½ , 8, 8½, 9)” long. *K2tog, yo; rep from * across row until only 2 sts remain, k2tog. Work in st st until piece measures 9 (9½ , 10, 10½, 11)” long. Bind off all sts.

I-cord

Using single strand and a dpn, cast on 4 stitches. Knit these stitches and slide them to the opposite end of the dpn, without turning the needle. Your yarn will be on the left side of your work. Bring the yarn behind the 4 stitches (from left to right) and begin knitting at the right hand side of the needles. Knit all 4 stitches and without turning the needle, slide them to the opposite end. Continue working in I-cord until your cord is 16-inches long. Weave in the ends. Feed I-cord over and under through the eyelet row. Pull tight, tie in a knot and make a bow.

Finish

Just weave in any loose ends and you are done!

Here is my hat for my friend.