Custom Knit American Baby Hats

I created two very different red, white and blue baby hats.

The patterns were created using stitches detailed in All about Knitting. The first hat was very simple and a joy to knit. The second hat was difficult and I couldn't wait to finish.

The stitch used in this hat is called Three Color Tweed. It was created by knitting two stitches and then slipping one. In some rows the yarn was held in front of the slipped stitches and in other rows the yarn was held in the back of the slipped stitches. In addition, the stitches were offset in each row so that some were knit 2, slip 1 and other rows were knit 1, slip 1, knit 1. Since each row was knit using only one color the hat progressed rather quickly.

Here's the pattern:
sport weight yarn, #4 round needles
Cast on 120 stitches
place stitch marker and join into a circle
Row Color
1-B-knit
2-W-sl 1,k2 *sl 1 wyib, k2* k1
3-W-k3 *sl 1 wyif, k2* k1
4-R- *k2, sl 1 wyib*k1
5-R-k1 *sl 1 wyif, k2*
6-B-k1 *sl 1 wyib, k2*
7-B- *k2, sl 1 wyif* K1
repeat rows 2-7 until hat is 5.5 inches tall

decrease
beginning on row
7 - B-(*k2,sl 1 wyif* 3 times, k2 tog, sl 1 wyif - place a stitch marker) repeat until round is complete
1 - W- (*sl 1 wyib, k2* 2 times, k2 tog) repeat until round is complete
2 - W- follow pattern
3 - R- (*k2, sl 1 wyib* 2 times, k1, k2 tog, sl 1 wyib) repeat
4 - R- (k1 *sl 1 wyif, k2* 2 times, k2 tog) repeat
5 - B- (k1 *sl 1 wyib, k2* sl 1 wyib, k1, k2 tog) repeat 
6 - B- (k2, sl 1 wyif, k1, k2 tog, sl 1 wyif) repeat

slip yarn through remaining stitches and weave in loose yarn ends


wyib (with yarn in back)
wyif (with yarn in front)
*repeat sections within stars*

This hat was created with a combination of knit twill stitches, knit cable stitches and purl stitches. Since at the bottom of the hat three colors were used in one row, it was extremely difficult. All of the white stitches were purled, all of the blue and red were knit throughout the entire hat. The red stitches were created using a crossed rib stitch which means when there were two stitches together, the second one was knit, then the first and they were slipped off the needle together. I really enjoyed the cross stitch rib, but cabling the blue stitches was no fun at all. Therefore, after a while, the hat was reduced to two colors.

Creating unique patterns is a lot of fun. Sometimes it works well, and other time not so well. Have you created your own knitting patterns? How has it worked?






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