stripped skull baby beanie

I started this sweet hat for Baby Boy in December after I came across this cover of Baby Talk! I loved it, but it used two new techniques I hadn’t worked with before. Remember I’m still a really new knitter! But I love learning knew things and I was dying to make my own version of this hat!

Intarsia and Intarsia in the round.  This hat ended up being very VERY difficult, I ended up taking it apart at least a dozen times, starting over, but wanting to get it right, eventually it turned into January and I got super busy, so the hat got moved off to the side for awhile.  Last month when I finally finished all my conferences and cake orders I sat down and finished it!

IT WAS TOO SMALL!!!!  Shoot me now.  If I’d just stopped and added a few rows it would still have been a bit tight, but so much better!  Oh well, I’m planning a slightly different version for this fall/winter (I’ve already started it) that includes another new technique- ear flaps!

Intarsia in the round- basic instructions

you’ll knit back and forth as you would with flat knitting, but you’ll be making a join at the turn so you’re still working in the round. It definitely takes some getting used to but it’s really quite simple.

Work the last stitch of the round

Turn your work, so you’re now on the “other” side (inside or out, depending on your last row)

Make a yo (on what would be the “next” needle, the right if your right handed) and continue your row.  When you get to the end of the next round k2tog (or p2tog) the final stitch and the YO together, this will create the join!

Stripped Skull Baby Beanie
size 3-6 months
INTERMEDIATE knitters only

Materials:
Medium weight Yarn in White and two other colors (I like to use Lion Brand yarns and baby soft so it won’t irritate his head)
size 4 double pointed needles (I use a long needle for the cast on)

Abbreviations:
k- Knit
p- Purl
k2tog- Knit two together (decrease)
ssk- slip one knitwise, slip another knitwise, insert left needle into front of both slipped stitches and knit (decrease)

Gauge:
12 stitches per 2 inches

Cast on: 98
I prefer to use the long tail cast on for hats, it leaves a clean and flexible edge.

divide stitches evenly onto double pointed needles and join

rows 1-5- a simple rib pattern: k2, p2 around in red
rows 6-8- simple rib pattern: k2, p2 around in black

Because the skull pattern is odd number  (because I wanted the one stitch nose hole) AND because I wanted my decreases centered I added an extra stitch to the center, so in row 9 add an extra stitch!

Also because we’re having an odd number of decreases with this hat (7) and didn’t want a decrease in the center of my skull I offset the pattern by 7 stitches, so this intarsia block starts at stitch 29, so your first white is at stitch 32

row 9-34 work this intarsia pattern, remembering to switch background color every 5 rows

I started my decreases at row 32, but since it was a little small on baby boy I wish I’d started at row 37 instead~  So depending on your baby make your own decision on that!

Crown:
row 1(32)- k4, k2tog, ssk, k5 around (so there will be k10 in between the decreases)
row 2- k around
row 3- k3, k2tog, ssk, k4 around (now k8 between the decreases)
row 4- k around
row 5- k2, k2tog, ssk, k3 around (now k6 between the decreases)
row 6- k around
row 7- k1, k2tog, ssk, k2 around (now k4 between the decreases)
row 8- k around
row 9- k2tog, ssk, k1 around (now k2 between the decreases
row 10- k around
row 11- k2tog, ssk

cut the yarn with several inches left.  With a needle pull the yarn through all the remaining loops, secure and weave in end.

And your done! I’m making a new version for next fall/winter for Baby Boy right now, I’m sticking with the stripes, but wider, and the colors, but I’m adding ear flaps and of course making it BIGGER!!!!!