This is the first in a series of top down spiral hats.
It is not a full pattern just a guide for certain people who just couldn't wait! Then again, most of you are savy knitters who will be able to look over the pattern and go aha! and just start knitting.
This hat and the sun hat or brimmed hat which will also be published are based on the pin wheel jumpers or rugs, this works on the same principal.
Many years ago I came across a hat that my Nanna made for me and I remember the old, crinkled pattern book she worked from. It not only had the sun hat, but a beanie and a tam (beret style) winter hat as well.
I haven't been able to find this pattern book anywhere, but I have managed to pull together spiral sun hats and beanies which I'll be sharing, cause really these have been around for decades.
Each pattern is based on the eight-point spiral pattern, but you could do any number spiral pattern. The rainbow one pictured is done with DK Wendy Wash & Wear machine washable 100% merino which is usually 22 stitches. I did this one with 3.75mm dpns and got a tension of 6 stitches per inch.
Below is the rough recipe for a worsted hat. Proper patterns for all sizes and weights to come. I promise ;)
Baby (newborn to 3 to 6months depending on child's head) spiral beanie
Worsted weight, roughly 18 stitches and DPNs or circular needle to make gauge.
Cast on 8 stitches, using the Loop method (pictured below the pattern)
Row 1: Kfb in each stitch (16)
Row 2: and all even number rounds Knit.
Row 3: K2 yo, repeat to end of round. (24)
Row 5: K3 yo, repeat to end of round. (32)
R7: K4 yo, repeat to end of round. (40)
R9: K5 yo, repeat to end of round. (48)
Continue as set increasing one stitch until
K7 yo (64) and following knit row done.
Now, instead of increasing outwards, you just need to go downwards, but at the same time keep the spiral pattern so:
Row 1: yo * k2tg k6 YO* k2tg k6
Row 2: and all even rows knit except for when the pattern mutates and you end up having to do a YO as the last stitch to balance. Full details in proper pattern to come.
Row 3 k1 Yo * k2tg k6 yo* k2tg k5
Row 5: k2 yo *k2tg k6 yo* k2tg k4
Row 7: k3 yo *k2tg k6 yo* k2tg k3
Continue as set, increasing the number of knit stitches at the begining, until you catch up again (that's the pattern mutate of earlier) and just start repeating.
For a baby continue down for about 10cm, then do rib for several rows, cast off loosely.
LOOP method.
Make a large loop, overlaping once. Then with a needle, carefully dig out a stitch form the working yarn, then dive under the other way, catching the working yarn.
Work until the needle has the right number of 'stitches' on it. Often it works out that the last stitch is more like a yarn over but don't fear it will work.
Carefully pull the end of the cast on tail until you can see the loop tightening up. Carefully transfer stitches so the stitches are spread over three needles if using DPNS or are halved with half on one needle and the rest on the other needle if doing magic loop. After a row or two, pull the cast on end tightly again. There should be no hole there at all.
