#BLM hat walk-through

Please do not sell this pattern or items made from this pattern. You are welcome to make items for donation and to share with others.

If you enjoyed this free pattern and walk-through, please donate to Black Lives Matter

[Monotone picture of a black beanie on wood veneer background. Hat says "#BLM"]

NOTE: this pattern is still being test knit, so if you notice an issue please do not hesitate to contact me. 

If you are wondering "why do Black Lives Matter more than other lives, don't all lives matter?" I recommend perusing the BLM website at length. You can also work through this syllabus. Please hold off on commenting about the movement on this blog until you've done those things. Comment moderation is on. Hateful comments will not be allowed. 

My gauge was about 5.5 stitches to an inch and 6 rows to an inch. it knit up quickly. I could have probably gone down in a size of needles to have the hat comfortably fit tiny human. 

If you don't like this pattern, the chart should work on most patterns with plain knitting as long as you have 13 non-decrease rounds to work the chart. If you are not good at color work, you can knit the hat without knitting the chart and try out duplicate stitch following the chart.

If you need add or subtract stitches to get your hat to fit, you are going to need to re-calculate your crown decreases, which you can do HERE. 

The amount of yarn for the colorwork is such a small amount it was easier to work with on a bobbin than trying to deal with two balls. 

Gauge: 5.5 stitches to an inch, 6 rows to an inch.

Materials:
5 double pointed needles, size 5mm or size needed to obtain gauge.

2 colors of worsted weight yarn, one dark for the main part of the hat and the light for the color work. My hat used 30g or about 1 ounce of yarn. The amount of the second color needed is very small, around 7g.

Tapestry needle.

Stitch markers or waste yarn.

Cast on 84 stitches using a stretchy cast-on. I used long-tail. Join to work in the round and place marker. Knit in knit 1 purl one ribbing for 1 inch (2.5cm).

Knit one round. Knit another round, placing a marker after 20 stitches. Knit to end of round.

Knit to marker and begin working chart, carrying the 2^nd color around to the next row.

Make sure your tension is loose enough when carrying yarn or you will not be able to fit the hat on your head.

Once finished with chart, knit using main color until hat measures 6 inches (15cm) from cast on edge. Begin decreases as follows:
Knit 1 row, placing markers every 14 stitches. Use a different color stitch marker for the start of the row.

Knit decreases as follows until there are only 2 stitches between each marker:

Row 1, decrease row: SSK, knit to 2 stitches before marker, k2tog, slip marker. Repeat around.

Rows 2 & 3: Knit.

When 12 stitches remain, knit one row. Cut yarn leaving a long tail. Pull tapestry needle threaded with the yarn tail through remaining stitches, flip hat inside out and weave in ends.

Variation for ponytail hat: Work 3 sets of decrease rows and bind off loosely. Weave in ends.

Chart for dark background/light lettering:

Inverse chart:

SSK: Slip, slip, knit.

K2tog: Knit two stitches together.

Please do not sell this pattern or items made from this pattern. You are welcome to make items for donation and to share with others. 

Link to printer friendly pattern.

If you enjoyed this free pattern and walk-through, please donate to Black Lives Matter.