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.