Baby Sprout Hat Free Knitting Pattern

In my last post did I mention that I knitted a hat for a friend's baby while I was up at Gimli? They had gone up to Canada without a hat for the baby since Fargo was so hot. They just forgot that the baby might get cold and need a hat to cover her tender little head. They mentioned the need for a hat and I just happened to have some Lamb's Pride Bulky wool/mohair yarn and needles that would work. So I cast on that evening and finished a dorky looking little hat out of bright teal in a couple hours. (I had a bubblegum pink, too, but really, that's so traditional. Kinda boring, ya know?) Everyone in their cabin was already in bed so I just crept in and stuck the hat on a top bunk. They found it right away. When I walked past their cabin the following morning they were on the porch, and the baby was wearing the hat. The little I cord loop on top is cute. My friends said she looked like a little sprout in it. So I've named this hat the Baby Sprout hat. Feel free to use the pattern. It's nothing special or particularly innovative, and the directions are bare bones, but it's here if you're interested.



BABY SPROUT HAT

1.5 – 2 oz bulky weight yarn (I used Lamb’s Pride Bulky)
Set of 4 double point needles, size 11
Yarn needle, scissors

Cast on 48 stitches, divide onto three needles, 16 stitches per needle. Join.

Knit every stitch for 4 or so rows. This makes a rolled brim
Purl 1 row to keep the rolled brim from rolling too far
Knit 10 or 12 rows. It should be maybe as wide as your palm depending on baby’s head.
Purl 1 row
Knit 1 row
Purl 1 row
Knit 1 row
To make crown:
Row 1: Knit 6, knit 2 together. Repeat. You should have 42 stitches left
Row 2: K nit
Row 3: Knit 5, knit 2 together. Repeat. 36 stitches left
Row 4: Knit
Row 5: Knit 4, knit 2 together. Repeat. 30 stitches left
Row 6: Knit
Row 7: Knit 3, knit 2 together. Repeat. 24 stitches left
Row 8: Knit
Row 9: Knit 2, knit 2 together. Repeat. 18 stitches left
Row 10: Knit
Row 11, Knit 1, knit 2 together. Repeat. 12 stitches left
Row 12: K nit 2 together. Repeat. 6 stitches
Row 13: Knit 2 together. Repeat. 3 stitches left.
Work 4 inches of I cord
Cut yarn, and thread it thru a yarn needle. Pull through hat at the same place as I cord begins to make a loop and fasten off. Weave in ends.

Gimli Was Great

I always have a great time at Gimli but I think this year was the best yet. Too bad I forgot my camera. The new Baby was there and her parents forgot to bring any hats for her so I quick knitted a little hat on Friday night. It was made out of a thick bright teal wool and mohair yarn, so it didn't *look* like it should have been a baby hat, and it looked a little dorky, but it was a cute sort of dorky. It was plenty warm during the day (the feast hall was a sauna!) but at night and in the morning the breeze off the lake was pretty nippy. I guess it's a little strange, but I kinda like getting up at 3 am and wrapping up in a cloak to walk to the bathroom. And then crawling through the bed curtains and snuggling back into bed afterwards. For me it must be a sort of "magic moment" although it was more likely that in period they would have used a chamber pot or the garderobe. Ew!

I taught a sock knitting class so the Baby received a couple baby socks too. I wasn't surpised that Ceri caught on right away, but I was pretty impressed with Ravenna, who hadn't knitted since she was eight, and had never purled, or decreased before.

The only thing that would have made the weekend better would have been seeing more friends, some of whom had to cancel due to money or passport issues, and others were having fun at Travis and Jen's wedding.

Now it's back to work. We are once again strongly encouraged to put in 10 hours of overtime a week, although we are not required to put in more than five. Sigh. Well, it means some larger paychecks, and that's always a plus. And it's only thru Sept 30. So if I can just hold on that long, I can have Meritcare Clinic, Mayo Clinic and one of my credit cards completely paid off by by October 15. Well maybe not one of the credit cards. Still, I'll be furtbner ahead than I was. It just means I don't get to go to Coronation this weekend, or CeCil's Siege, and that's a bummer.