A Knitted Hat.
Materials Required.
For the hat illustrated a buckram shape was used with the brim slightly curled all round, and deeper at the back than the front, and having a tall crown; 1 ounce of purple wool, and 3 ounces of white 4-ply “Beehive” Scotch Fingering; five No. 14 long steel knitting-needles. The fifth needle is only required for the brim where there are too many stitches for three needles.
Hat shapes alter, of course, from time to time, but the general principles remain the same, and by a little adaptation, this can be made to suit any shape of the “sailor” class.
The Hat is white, and the Flower Pattern is worked in purple.
Directions.
Commence by casting on 2 st on each of three needles. Knit 1st row plain.
2nd Row.—Knit twice into each st, thus—knit the st, but retain it on the left needle, twist the point of the right needle round to the back of the st and knit the other side of this st, then drop the st off the left needle. Repeat into every st.
3rd Row, and every Alternate Row.—Knit plain.
4th Row.—* Knit 1, knit twice into next st, repeat from *.
6th Row.—* Knit 2, knit twice into each st, repeat from *.
8th Row.—* Knit 3, knit twice into next st, repeat from *.
Continue in this way, increasing the number of stitches in each section by 1 st before the increase until in the 46th row, there are 24 st in each section, that is 144 st in the row.
Knit 42 rows on the 144 st.
89th Row.—* Knit 11, knit twice into the next st, repeat from *.
90th Row.—Knit plain and repeat these 2 rows until the number in each section is increased to 20, then knit 10 rows of the 240 st.
Use the spare needle to take off some of the stitches, putting 60 st on each of the 4 needles.
Work in ribbing of knit 1, purl 1 all round for 16 rows, then cast off the stitches on 2 of the needles, continue on the other 2 the ribbing for the wide part of the brim, casting off 4 st at the beginning and end of every row (composed of the stitches on the 2 needles), until this piece measures 1½ inches, then cast off.
It will be necessary to fit the covering to the shape to see that it fits evenly, and to add or subtract a row or two perhaps to the part for each portion of the shape, while working.
Pretty and Durable.
Stretch the covering over the shape and tack along the line between the crown and brim to the shape, turn the wrong side of the hat towards you and gather up the edge of the covering to fit the shape along the edge of the crown. Sew the knitting securely to this edge of the shape. Headline the hat and press the brim with a warm iron, placing a damp cloth under and over it; iron until the cloths are quite dry.
The Band.
This is made in the new floral knitting, and gives a nice finish to a very useful and becoming hat.
Using the same kind of white wool and 2 needles, cast on 20 st and work 30 rows, 1 plain and 1 purl row alternately, so that there is a right and a wrong side to the band.
31st Row.—Knit 13 (using the white wool), tie on the purple wool close up to the 13th st, and knit 4 p (purple), then finish the row with white.
When using two or more colours in this class of knitting, one of the wools is stretched across the fingers of the left hand just as in crochet, and the wool for the stitch taken from this by inserting the needle under it and drawing the loop through the stitch you are knitting on the left-hand needle. Keep the different wools at opposite sides of your work, so as not to tangle them, and see that the wools on the back of the work are kept even and not pulled too tightly, otherwise the work will pucker.
32nd Row.—Purl 7 w (white), 1 p (purple), 12 w.
33rd Row.—Knit 11 w (always slipping the 1st st), 1 p, 8 w.
34th Row.—Purl 9 w, 1 p, 10 w.
35th Row.—Knit 9 w, 2 p, 9 w.
36th Row.—Purl 10 w, 1 p, 9 w.
37th Row.—Knit 8 w, 1 p, 11 w.
38th Row.—Purl 12 w, 1 p, 7 w.
39th Row.—Knit 7 w, 1 p, 12 w.
40th Row.—Purl 12 w, 1 p, 7 w.
41st Row.—Knit 7 w, 1 p, 12 w.
42nd Row.—Purl 12 w, 1 p, 7 w.
43rd Row.—Knit 7 w, 1 p, 1 w, 2 p, 9 w.
44th Row.—Purl 8 w, 4 p, 1 w, 3 p, 4 w.
45th Row.—Knit 4 w, 8 p, 1 w, 2 p, 5 w.
46th Row.—Purl 4 w, 5 p, 3 w, 4 p, 4 w.
47th Row.—Knit 6 w, 1 p, 2 w, 1 p, 2 w, 4 p, 4 w.
48th Row.—Purl 5 w, 3 p, 1 w, 3 p, 1 w, 3 p, 4 w.
49th Row.—Knit 3 w, 4 p, 2 w, 1 p, 2 w, 1 p, 7 w.
50th Row.—Purl 5 w, 4 p, 3 w, 5 p, 3 w.
51st Row.—-Knit 4 w, 2 p, 1 w, 8 p, 5 w.
52nd Row.—Purl 4 w, 4 p, 1 w, 4 p, 3 w, 1 p, 3 w.
53rd Row.—Knit 3 w, 3 p, 1 w, 4 p, 1 w, 3 p, 5 w.
54th Row.—Purl 10 w, 2 p, 1 w, 3 p, 4 w.
55th Row.—Knit 7 w, 1 p, 6 w, 3 p, 3 w.
56th Row.—Purl 2 w, 5 p, 4 w, 1 p, 1 w, 2 p, 5 w.
57th Row.—Knit 4 w, 4 p, 1 w. 4 p, 1 w, 3 p, 3 w.
58th Row.—Purl 4 w, 1 p, 1 w, 4 p, 2 w, 2 p, 1 w, 1 p, 4 w.
59th Row.—Knit 5 w, 2 p, 2 w, 8 p, 3 w.
60th Row.—Purl 3 w, 4 p, 1 w, 2 p, 10 w.
61st Row.—Knit 11 w, 3 p, 6 w.
62nd Row.—Purl 6 w, 1 p, 13 w.
Knit next 22 rows all white, then repeat from the 31st row three times more, ending with 30 rows of white.
Press this band on the wrong side as in the brim, turn in each end to form an angle, and secure on the wrong side with a few stitches made with the woollen thread, press the ends flat, then place the band round the hat in the manner illustrated and sew in place.
To Wash the Hat.
The covering and band are easily removed from the shape when it becomes necessary to clean the hat.
Make a lather of warm soapy water, immerse the covering and press and squeeze through the hands, but do not rub, until it seems clean, then squeeze out all the water possible and rinse in clean warm water, again squeeze as dry as possible, and place immediately before the fire until nearly, but not quite, dry. Have the wrong side turned out. Press on the wrong side with a hot iron until quite dry, pull into shape, and replace over the buckram.
The band, or covering, if it be made with coloured wool, should have a handful of salt added to the lather and rinsing water.
Design No. 8. This Stocking Top is described on [page 27].