Elf Hat

A quick little elf hat, great for unisex babies and also for stash busting.  It doesn't use much yarn and can incorporate stripes very easily.

Using DK yarn and 4.5mm DPN needles (I used a stash of Rico Poems and and unknown gem hidden in my stash!)

Cast on 56 and space amongst 4 needles (14 per needle)

Knit until 3 inches long (curl unrolled)

[K12, K2TOG] repeat 3 more times

Knit 3 rounds

[K11, K2TOG] repeat 3 more times

Knit 1 round

[K10, K2TOG] repeat 3 more times

Repeat this decrease round (decreasing the last two stitches at the end of each needle) until 5 stitches remain on each needle

Knit 1 round

[K3, K2TOG] repeat 3 more times

Knit 1 round

[K2, K2TOG] repeat 3 more times

[K1, K2TOG] repeat 3 more times

[K2, K2TOG] twice

Knit 1 round

[K1, K2TOG] twice

Transfer onto one needle and turn to i-cord [4 stitches]

Knit i-cord for 1 ½ inches

K1, K2TOG, K1

Knit 3 rows

K1, K2TOG

Knit 1 row

K2TOG

Feed yarn through remaining stitch.

Tie loose knot in the i-cord stem.

Sunrise Seaswim Hat

Is there a better way to celebrate Esther's 30th Birthday than taking a dip in the North Devon sea as the sun makes it's first appearance of the day?  Well yes it turns out there is; knitting a hat ready for when your little hot water bottle (I mean bump) makes it's first appearance of the day whilst everyone else goes in for their second dip of the day!  A simple repetative pattern keeps you on your toes but can easily be done alongside other distractions.  And the use of two yarns makes it that little bit thicker and warmer for an approaching winter baby.

The pattern is to fit a small newborn or larger preemi.  To make suitable for a larger newborn cast on an additional 7 stitches and depending on your guage use 4.5mm needles, continuing for 4 1/2 - 5 inches before decreasing

Using DK yarn and 4mm needles...

Cast on 56 stitches in contrast colour [CC] and join into round (14 on each needle if using DPNs)

Rounds 1-4: K2 P2 rib
Round 5: change to main colour [MC] and K2TOG, K5 ** K1[CC], K6[MC] repeat from ** to end and using first stitch of next round as final stitch for this pattern
Rounds 6 onwards: K5[MC] P1[MC] K1[CC] repeat to end and using first stitch of next round for the next 4 inches (you are purling on the contrast stitch of the row below, then adding in a constrast knit stitch nextdoor to that - this is the main pattern)

Depending how many rows you do will depend where you are in the spiral pattern when you start the decreasing.

Round 29ish: Knit as pattern until first [CC] where it is K2TOG.  Then repeat K4[MC] P1 [MC] K2TOG [CC] to end.
Round 30: Knit as pattern but K4[MC] P1[MC] K1[CC]
repeat these two rounds three more times (with one less main colour knit stitch after each decrease obviously).
Using just [MC] K2TOG to end and thread yarn through remaining 8 stitches.

And voila!  You might need to give a good tug from side to side to even out the coloured raised stitches.

Christmas Phoebe-Pud Hat

Using a mix of knitting in the round, i-cord and flat knitting this creates a textured hat of much festive joy that is underneath it all remarkably simple.  Knitting this as an advent present for a dear friend's newly arrived bundle of joy it really made me go quite squishy and want one.  But remember people, a baby is for life not just for wearing hand knitted hats.

Using brown, white/cream, red and green DK yarn and 4mm needles...

For a small head ('very-newborn' - preemi or just tiny delicate cuties) cast on 57 stitches in brown (B) and join into the round by knitting the first and last stitch together.  To make bigger, go up in multiples of 8, making the necessary decreases to have 12 stitches on or around Round 10.

Knit in stockinette for 4 inches, (not stretching the cast on curl).

Join in white(W) yarn and as follows:

Round 1: K2(W), K6(B) until 1 stitch away from (W)

Round 2: K4(W), K4(B) until 1 stitch away from (W)

Round 3: K6(W), K2(B) until 1 stitch away from (W)

Working only in white (W)

Knit 3 stitches, place marker and as follows:

Round 4: K2TOG, K6 until marker

Round 5: K2TOG, K5 until marker

Round 6: K2TOG, K4 until marker

Round 7: K2TOG, K3 until marker

Round 8: K2TOG, K2 until marker

Round 9: K2TOG, K1 until marker

Round 10: K1, (K2TOG, K1 until marker) (10 stitches remain)

Switch to red (R) yarn 

K1, K2TOG, K1

Using DPN with these 3 stitches i-cord in red for 2 inches (or enough to tie a loose knot with the cord)

Switch to green (G) yarn (TIP a varigated/helix yarn works best)  to complete holly leaf.

Row 1: Knit still as i-cord

Row 2: turn and knit as a flat piece going forwards

Row 3: KFB, K1, KFB (5 stitches)

Row 4: KFB, K3, KFB (7 stitches)

Row 5: K2TOGtbl, K3, K2TOG (5 stitches)

Row 6: K2TOGtbl, K1, K2TOG (3 stitches)

Row 7: KFB, K1, KFB (5 stitches)

Row 8: KFB, K3, KFB (7 stitches)

Row 9: K2TOGtbl, K3, K2TOG (5 stitches)

Row 10: K2TOGtbl, K1, K2TOG (3 stitches)

Row 11: Knit

Row 12: sl1, K2TOG, PSSO

Cut yarn and thread through remaining stitch.

Going back to the remaining white stitches, repeat red i-cord and green leaf two more times.

(TIP If necessary, use the tail of the red to join the three i-cords beneath the berry knots with a small stitch in the centre to prevent a hole)  Weave in remaining ends.

Tie a loose knot in the i-cord so the red produces a 'berry' and the leaf pops out of the top.

Stand back and melt with festive adorable cheer.

Munchkin Bobble Hat

I really struggle knitting presents for friends expecting baby boys.  Knitting lends itself to floral cutsie stuff, and for boys all you find is either boring plain-in-blue or tacky Bob-the-Builder style cartoon stuff.  So this is my attempt to get something cute but not feminine into the selection for newborns.  If you err to the side of cartoon stuff then you could use bright colours and turn the bobbles to eyes to make it look alien/monster-ish if you really want.  And if you have a girl, then pink or purple will work just as well!

Using DK wool (I used a slight variegated one – Wendy Peter Pan Raindrop Surprise) and 3.5mm circular needles, and a smidgen of scrap yarn for stuffing…

Cast on 60 stitches in contrast colour and join in the round (magic loop is easiest in my opinion, particularly for switching to the i-cord at the end)

rounds 1-7 - Knit contrast colour

round 8 - Change to main colour (on second round of main colour, slip the first stitch to avoid a jog in the colour – thanks Techknitter!)

rounds 9-35 - Knit a further 26  rounds

round 36 - K4, K2TOG (50 st remain)

round 37 - Knit

round 38 - K3 K2TOG (40 st remain)

round 39 - Knit

round 40 - K2 K2TOG (30 st remain)

round 41 - Knit

round 42 - K1 K2TOG (20 st remain)

round 43 - Knit

round 44 - K2TOG (10 st remain)

round 45 - K2TOG (5 st remain) - you will need to switch from magic loop to 'flat' on this round

rows 46-50  - Knit i-cord for 5 rows

row 51 - KFB (10 st) - switch back to magic loop after this row

round 52 - Knit

round 53 - K1, KFB (15 st)

round 54 - Knit

round 55 - K1, K2TOG (10 st remain)

round 56 - Knit

round 57 - K2TOG (5 st remain) - you will need to switch from magic loop to 'flat' on this round

at this point, put some scrap wool in to ensure the bobble remains round and not deflated

rows 58-62 - Knit i-cord for 5 rows

row 63 - KFB (10 st) - switch back to magic loop after this row

round 64 - Knit

round 65 - Knit
round 66 - K2TOG (5 st remain) - you will need to switch from magic loop to 'flat' on this round

at this point, put some scrap wool in to ensure the bobble remains round and not deflated

row 67 - Knit
row 68 - K2TOG, K1, K2TOG, (3 st remain) then pass stitch 1 and 2 over 3 (1 st remain)
Thread yarn through remaining stitch, and weave in loose ends.