by Corina Sahlin

Since the cold weather, impending holiday season, and shorter days are upon us, it’s time to start knitting – or learn how to.  Whether you want to make gifts for loved ones or provide warm accessories for yourself, this pixie or elfin hat I designed is a perfect and very easy project to tackle.  Thanks to the thick yarn, it takes me an hour to knit this hat.

PHOTO BY CORINA SAHLIN

I have had a life-long addiction with knitting and spinning that borders on obsession. It’s also my psychotherapy, or at least that’s what I tell my husband when I fondle deliciously soft mohair at the yarn store, and I look at the price tag, and I swallow hard, and I look again, but that didn’t change the number.  Then I look at my husband, who patiently stands by, and I say shyly, “It’s cheaper than psychotherapy,” and he pats my shoulder and takes the yarn to the cash register, bless his heart.

Fortunately, the yarn for the hat I designed and share with you here is not expensive at all.  You can find bulky yarn in lots of places, but since we all know it’s important to support local businesses, head to one of the several wonderful local yarn stores and buy the yarn there.  (And since I’ve been in every single local yarn store within a 150 mile radius, believe me when I say: they are all awesome!)

You can find the pattern on my blog here:

http://marblemounthomestead.blogspot.com/2012/11/how-to-make-kids-pixie-hat-confessions.html

FREE PIXIE HAT PATTERN:

Size: This hat has a circumference of 16 inches unstretched, and 18 or more inches stretched, which means it can fit a 6-12 months old baby up to a 3 year old child.

Needles: four double pointed needles in size 11 (8.0 mm), and a longer needle in size 11 (8.0 mm) for casting on (since you can’t fit 42 stitches on a small double pointed needle)

Gauge: 3 stitches = 1 inch. A word on gauge and sizing: You can use a bigger gauge with bigger yarn (or just double it up) and bigger needles and thus get a bigger hat that will fit an older child.

Yarn: The hats in all these pictures were made with my own handspun yarn, but you can find bulky yarn with the correct gauge at a knitting store.  I like to use soft wool, since it’s so warm and repels water.

Directions:

Cast on 42 stitches on the longer needle.

Distribute the stitches evenly onto three double pointed needles, so you have 14 stitches on each needle.

Use the fourth needle to start knitting in the round, being careful that the stitches are not twisted around the needle.

Place a marker at the beginning of the round. Knit until work measures 3.75 inches, or 1 to 2 inches longer if the hat brim rolls up quite a bit.

Decrease 6 stitches: (Knit 2 together, knit 5) repeat what’s written inside the brackets for one row (36 stitches left).

Knit 4 rows.

Decrease 6 stitches: (Knit 2 together, knit 4) repeat what’s written inside the brackets for one row (30 stitches left).

Knit 3 rows.

Decrease 6 stitches: (Knit 2 together, knit 3) repeat what’s written inside the brackets for one row (24 stitches left).

Knit 2 rows.

Decrease 6 stitches: (Knit 2 together, knit 2) repeat what’s written inside the brackets for one row (18 stitches left).

Knit 1 row.

Decrease 6 stitches: (Knit 2 together, knit 1) repeat what’s written inside the brackets for one row (12 stitches left).

Knit 1 row.

Knit 2 together, repeat this for one row (6 stitches left).

Knit 2 together, repeat this for one row (2 stitches left).

Put all 3 stitches on one double pointed needle and start working I-cord in the following way:

Knit the 3 stitches. Do not turn the work. Just slip your work to the other end of your double pointed needle. Your working yarn will be at the “wrong” end of your work. Pull the working yarn tightly along the back of your work and knit the next row. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have I-cord of about 3.5 inches (or shorter ,or longer).

When the i-cord is as long as you want it, thread the yarn through a needle and fasten off all three stitches.

Weave in all loose ends.

Note: Published in Grow Northwest, December 2016