Size – approximately 16” head size – but there is a lot of give in them

You will need

6mm knitting needles

Double knitting or chunky yarn

Large blunt needle to sew up

Pompom if you want one

• you can use either 2 strands of double knitting together – or 1 strand of chunky – it works out the same

Method

Using 6mm needles – cast on 60 stitches.

Work the bottom pattern in rib stitch as follows.

Row 1: knit 1 stitch, purl 1 stitch, repeat to end of row.

Repeat row 1: 5 times more.  If you want a fold over edge – work 3 or 4” in rib.

Row 7: knit across all stitches.

Row 8: purl across all stitches.

Continue these last 2 rows until you reach top shaping – you go longer if you want a looser, longer hat!

Shape for top

Row 29: *(knit 2 together, knit 6, knit 2 together, knit 2) – repeat from * to end of row.  (50 stitches).

Row 30: purl across all stitches.

Row 31: *(knit 2 together, knit 4, knit 2 together, knit 2) – repeat from * to end of row.  (40 stitches).

Row 32: purl across all stitches.

Row 33: *(knit 2 together, knit 2) – repeat from * to end of row. (30 stitches).

Row 34: purl across all stitches

Row 35: *(knit 2 together, knit 2 together, knit 2) – repeat from * to end of row. (20 stitches).

Row 36: purl 2 together all across row. (10 stitches).

Row 37: knit 2 together all across row. (5 stitches).

thread the yarn through the remaining stitches, pull tight and secure.

Making up - Sew the back seam together.  If you have added a turn back cuff you can turn if to where you want it and add a few stitches at the ¼ points of the circumference so that it stays turned back. 

Take a step further:

• Change the size by adding / reducing the number of stitches case on in blocks of 10.
• Work stripes.
• Work the cuff in a different colour.
• Add motif patterns.
• Add texture patterns / cables.
• Work all in rib.