Hugging You from Over Here
Feeling a bit isolated lately? Well this hat’s for you. My hope is that people will make and use this hat to virtually hug everyone. Use it when you Facetime, when you get delivery, or make one and send it to your loved one. Feel the hugs.
Materials
Knit Picks Swish (100% FineSuperwash Merino Wool; 123 yd [113 m]/50 g [1.75 oz]) CYCA#3: # 24313 cobblestone heather, 2 skeins (each size hat). Note: you will only need a portion of the 2nd skein. Total estimated yardage: 155 (165, 180) yds of MC per hat.
Knit Picks Mighty Stitch (20% Superwash Wool, 80% Acrylic; 208 yd [190 m]/50 g [3.5 oz]) CYCA#4: # 1702 pucker, 1 skein each size. Total estimated yardage: 160 yds of CC per hat including big pompom.
Tools
Size 4 (3.5 mm): 16″ circular needle and set of double-pointed needles (dpn)
Stitch Marker
Tapestry needle
Piece of cardboard that measures about 5” wide (for pompon)
Gauge
23 sts and 32 rounds = 4″ in stockinette stitch. Use any size needles that give you correct gauge. Note: gauge is intentionally a little bit firmer than usual to create a nice canvas for the duplicate stitch.
Finished Measurements
17.75 (19, 20.25)” brim circumference, 19.5 (21, 22.5)” body of hat circumference and 9 (9.5, 10)” tall after blocking; shown in body circumference size 21″. For best fit, make hat with body size that measures from 0” to 1” smaller than your head circumference.
Notes
This Hat is worked in the round from the bottom up, beginning with a 2 x 2 ribbing, and changing to stockinette stitch. Words are added later using duplicate stitch. If you prefer to use stranded knitting, begin working from the chart on Round 4 of “Body of Hat” directions (stockinette section). I used a worsted weight yarn for duplicate stitch, because I thought it would help the letters stand out more, but a dk would work well too.
When working crown, change to dpns when necessary.
Directions
Brim
With circular needle, CO 112 (120, 128) sts. Being careful not to twist, join to work in the round. Use a stitch marker to mark the beginning of rounds.
Rounds 1-10: [K2, p2] around -112 (120, 128) sts.
Do not cut yarn.
Body of Hat
Knit 32 rounds.
Crown Shaping:
Work for size L only:
Round 1: [K2tog, k14] 8 times -120 sts.
Rounds 2-4: Knit all sts.
Work for sizes M (L) only:
Round 1(5): [K2tog, k13] 8 times -112 sts.
Rounds 2-4 (6-8): Knit all sts.
Work for all sizes:
Round 1 (5, 9): [K2tog, k12] 8 times-104 sts.
Rounds 2-4 (6-8, 10-12): Knit all sts.
Round 5 (9, 13): [K2tog, k11] 8 times-96 sts.
All Even Rounds through Round 24 (28, 32): Knit all sts.
Round 7 (11, 15): [k2tog, k10] 8 times -88 sts.
Round 9 (13, 17): [k2tog, k9] 8 times -80 sts.
Round 11 (15, 19): [k2tog, k8] 8 times -72 sts.
Round 13 (17, 21): [k2tog, k7] 8 times -64 sts.
Round 15 (19, 23): [k2tog, k6] 8 times -56 sts.
Round 17 (21, 25): [k2tog, k5] 8 times -48 sts.
Round 19 (23, 27): [k2tog, k4] 8 times -40 sts.
Round 21 (25, 29): [k2tog, k3] 8 times -32 sts.
Round 23 (27, 31): [k2tog, k2] 8 times -24 sts.
Round 25 (29, 33): [k2tog, k1] 8 times -16 sts.
Cut yarn, using tapestry needle, weave yarn tail through remaining 16 sts and pull tight to close hole in top of hat.
Finishing
Weave in ends. Use CC and tapestry needle to work chart, using duplicate stitch. Row 1 of chart should begin in round 4 of “Body of hat” (stockinette stitch section). Begin at bottom of chart, and work your way up toward the top. Block hat after chart is complete.
Pompom
Cut 2 pieces of CC to 24” and set aside. Wrap yarn loosely around piece of 5” cardboard about 200 times. Before removing loops from cardboard, tie each 24” piece of yarn tightly around loops near center of cardboard (one on each side of the cardboard). Carefully slide loops off cardboard and tie one of the same 2 pieces of yarn around the center of the loops, this time around both sides- make sure you tie a very tight knot. Use scissors to cut all of the loops of the pom-pom, being careful not to cut either of the two longer strands that were used to tie the pom-pom together. Fluff pom-pom, and trim ends of pom-pom into a 3.5” ball. Using yarn needle and long strands of yarn, attach pom-pom to top of hat. Weave in ends.