Zig Zag Hat Pattern

I. Love. This. Hat.

I love the zig zags. I love the gradual color shift from neutral to bold. I love the pom pom. I love the slouch. I love the warmth provided by stranded knitting. I love the softness and fullness of the malabrigo yarn.

I am in complete and total love.

I have now made this hat a total of three times over the past two weeks, playing with different yarns and needle sizes and I think I have the perfect mix of coziness, slouchiness and colors.

This a simple pattern, but since it is my first written one and I am trying to appeal to all knitters (beginners and advanced alike), I spell out how to do things probably more than what is needed. Please don't be intimidated by the length of the pattern. There are only 60 rows and once you get going, it is a simple and fun knit.

If you have any questions or note any errors, I am always around.  Email me at mysweetnomsa@gmail.com

~ Zig Zag Hat Pattern ~

(want a print friendly version? Click here)

MATERIALS 

Yarn: 2 skeins of Malabrigo merino worsted yarn in contrasting colors. You actually will use about 40 grams of each skein, so this is a great pattern if you have two half skeins of Malabrigo. The gray is 'Polar Morn' and the hot pink is 'Fuchsia'.

Needles: US Size 5 for Cast On (straight or circular), 16" US Size 6 Circulars, 16" US Size 8 Circulars, US Size 8 DPNs

Notions: Tapestry Needle, Stitch Marker, Pom Pom maker (optional)

SIZE and GAUGE

This pattern creates a loose and slouchy hat. 
Laying Flat - 10 inches wide by 9.5 inches tall

Fits loosely on a 23 inch head

Gauge - 5.5 stitches wide by 6 stitches tall on US Size 8 needles

If you would like to increase or decrease the pattern, do so in increments of 6 stitches.

PATTERN ABBREVIATIONS

(if you need any help with how to do any of these, check out Lion Brand's website)

k2tog - Knit two stitches together

ssk - Slip one stitch knit-wise, then slip the next. Insert left needle into the front loops of the slipped stitches and knit them together from this position (through the back loops).

m1 - make 1 stitch

s1 - slip one stitch knitwise with the yarn held in back

MC - main color (this is the color that will be the brim and the bottom part of the hat. This is the gray color in the photos).

AC - alternating color (this is the color that will be the top of the hat. This is the hot pink in the photos).

DIRECTIONS

With the size 5 needles, cast on 90 stitches in your MC.

I used the knitted cast on (found here), but if you have a different stretchier version you prefer, go hog wild.

Row 1: Using size 6 needles, join in the round and place a stitch marker at the beginning of the round. Be careful not to twist. Knit 1 round of K1, P1 and transfer the stitches from the size 5 needles to the size 6.

After completing this first round, you should be done with the size 5 needles and have all the stitches on the size 6 needle, which is joined in the round with a stitch marker at the first stitch.

Rows 2-8: Knit 7 more rows in the K1, P1 repeat.

Row 9: *K5 stitches, M1* - repeat between the ** until row is over (18 times). Be sure to end the row with a M1 (108 stitches total at this point).

Row 10-13: Switch to size 8 circulars and knit 4 rounds.

We are starting the zig zag part of the pattern now. You are going to be starting to do stranded knitting. Things to keep in mind...

a) For the next 6-7 inches of the pattern, you will be working with two yarns. The yarns will be carried inside creating 'floats'. It is important not to pull the floats too tightly or the knitted fabric will pucker, and this cannot be fixed. Stay loose!

b) The best way to control the tension of the floats is to designate one color as the over color, the other as the under color. As the knitting changes from one color to the other, the over strand will be held to the top on the wrong side of the work, the under strand will be held to the bottom.

c) Since we are going to be alternating between the two colors of yarn frequently, there is no need to wrap the yarn on the inside of the hat as you will never go more than five stitches without knitting with the other yarn.

d) Don't be afraid to rip out to get the right tension. I knit, reknit, knit, reknit, knit this hat to get the right stranded tension.

e) We are going to be doing stripes while knitted in the round. If you are an experienced with circulars, then you know that when knitting in the round, you aren't stacking rows on top of each other, but rather knitting like a spiral staircase. Because of this when you create stripes in circular knitting, your last stitch of a row won't line up with the first stitch of the row. It will be slightly higher. We are going to be off-setting this by knitting some last stitches in rows with the AC and slipping some stitches. I can't really explain in words how or why it works, but I have been able to put it into fruition in the knitting pattern. So just trust the pattern and ignore my rambling. 

Row 14: *K1 (AC), K5 (MC) * repeat between the ** until 6 stitches remain. K1(AC), K4 (MC), K1(AC)

Row 15: *K1 (MC), K1 (AC), K3 (MC), K1 (AC) * repeat between the ** until 6 stitches remain, K1 (MC), K1 (AC), K3 (MC), S1 (this is the last stitch of the row in the AC).

Row 16: K2 (MC), K1 (AC), K1 (MC), K1 (AC), *K3 (MC), K1 (AC), K1 (MC), K1 (AC)* repeat between the ** until 1 stitch remains, K1(MC)

Row 17: K3 (MC), K1(AC), *K5 (MC), K1 (AC)* repeat between the ** until two stitches remain, K2 (MC)

Row 18-19: Knit two rounds in MC

Row 20: repeat Row 14

Row 21: K2 (AC), *K3 (MC), K3 (AC)* repeat between the ** until four stitches remain, K3 (MC), S1 (this is the last stitch of the row in the AC)

Row 22: *K1 (MC), K2 (AC), K1 (MC), K2 (AC)* repeat between the ** for all stitches in this round.

Row 23: K2 (MC), *K3 (AC), K3 (MC)* repeat between the ** until four stitches remain, K3 (AC), K1 (MC)

Row 24: repeat row 17

Row 25: Knit round in MC

Row 26: repeat row 14

Row 27: repeat row 21

Row 28: K3 (AC), *K1(MC), K5 (AC)* repeat between the ** until three stitches remain, K1(MC), K2 (AC)

Row 29: *K1 (MC), K5 (AC)* repeat between the ** for all the stitches in this round.

Row 30: repeat row 23

Row 31: repeat row 17

Row 32: repeat row 14

Row 33: repeat row 21

Row 34: repeat row 28

Row 35: Knit round in AC

Row 36: repeat row 29

Row 37: repeat row 23

Row 38: *K1 (AC), K2 (MC), K1 (AC), K2 (MC)* repeat between the ** until six stitches remain, K1 (AC), K2 (MC), K1 (AC), K1 (MC), K1 (AC)

Row 39: repeat row 21

Row 40: repeat row 28

Row 41-42: Knit 2 rounds in AC

Row 43: repeat row 29

Row 44: *K1 (AC), K1(MC), K3 (AC), K1 (MC)* repeat between the ** until six stitches remain, K1 (AC), K1 (MC), K3 (AC), K1 (MC)

Row 45: K2 (AC), *K1 (MC), K1 (AC), K1 (MC), K3 (AC)* repeat between the ** until four stitches remain, K1 (MC), K1 (AC), K1 (MC), K1 (AC)

Row 46: repeat row 28

Row 47: Knit round in AC

~ starting crown decreases ~

(all remaining rounds will be done in the AC)

Row 48: K1, *SSK, K1, K2tog, K13* repeat between the ** six times (if you made this hat smaller or larger than the original CO of 90 stitches, increase or decrease the K13. So if you made a smaller hat and CO 84 to begin with, K12 since the ** is repeated six times and you casted on six less stitches. CO 96? K14 instead. Keep this increase or decrease consistent for the rest of the crown shaping).

Row 49: Knit round in AC

Row 50: *SSK, K1, K2tog, K11* repeat between ** six times

Row 51: Knit round in AC (minus last stitch before marker).

Row 52: Lift row marker and slip the last stitch from the previous round (the unknit stitch) onto your left needle from your right needle. Replace marker on the right needle. *SSK (for the first SSK of the round, use last stitch of previous round and first stitch of new round for this), K1, K2tog, K9* repeat between the ** six times

Row 53: Knit round in AC (minus last stitch before marker).

Row 54: Lift row marker and slip the last stitch from the previous round (the unknit stitch) onto your left needle from your right needle. Replace marker on the right needle. *SSK (for the first SSK of the round, use last stitch of previous round and first stitch of new round for this), K1, K2tog, K7* repeat between the ** six times

Row 55: Knit round in AC (minus last stitch before marker) and switch to US Size 8 DPN

Row 56: Lift row marker and slip the last stitch from the previous round (the unknit stitch) onto your left needle from your right needle. Replace marker on the right needle. *SSK (for the first SSK of the round, use last stitch of previous round and first stitch of new round for this), K1, K2tog, K5* repeat between the ** six times

Row 57: Knit round in AC (minus last stitch before marker).

Row 58: Lift row marker and slip the last stitch from the previous round (the unknit stitch) onto your left needle from your right needle. Replace marker on the right needle. *SSK (for the first SSK of the round, use last stitch of previous round and first stitch of new round for this), K1, K2tog, K3* repeat between the ** six times

Row 59: Knit round in AC (minus last stitch before marker).

Row 60: Lift row marker and slip the last stitch from the previous round (the unknit stitch) onto your left needle from your right needle. Replace marker on the right needle. *SSK (for the first SSK of the round, use last stitch of previous round and first stitch of new round for this), K1, K2tog, K1* repeat between the ** six times (if you CO less stitches in the original 90, you will not have enough stitches for this round. Skip to row 62 and finish up).

Row 61: Knit round in AC (minus last stitch before marker).

Row 62: Lift row marker and slip the last stitch from the previous round (the unknit stitch) onto your left needle from your right needle. Replace marker on the right needle. *SSK (for the first SSK of the round, use last stitch of previous round and first stitch of new round for this), K2tog * repeat between the ** six times

Thread a tapestry needle through the remaining 12 stitches and remove from the needles. Pull thread tight and knot off.

Weave in all ends and add a pom-pom if desired. I used Lion Brand's pom pom maker.

Wear and look fabulous.

Email me at mysweetnomsa@gmail.com with any questions, concerns or feedback. I would love to see photos of yours if you make it, so be sure to check this pattern out on Ravelry!

This pattern is for personal use only. Please don't sell anything made with it.