The Claudia Hat

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The Claudia Hat is named after a strong woman who survived breast cancer twice(!), among other health issues. She is a wonderful example of how one can dodge the curve balls that Life throws at us. This is another hat that going to the Cap Karma Project this year. We are knitting chemo caps for local hospitals. It was fun when we did it last year. Check out the blog, there are some pictures of caps we made last year (check the earlist posts from October).

You'll be disappointed if you're looking for a hat knitted in the round. This Claudia Hat is knitted flat and then seamed at the end. I tried to knit this in the round but I just couldn't manage it. I'm just not experienced enough for this one. This is my very first hat knitted flatly. I have to say that it is more challenging to knit flat than to knit in the round. I could not get a good feel for how the hat was turning out as I knit it. And it just feels weird to knit a hat flat. The picture above shows a side view of the hat, which looks a lot like the front view, lol.

If you're looking for hats knitted in the round, try my 3AM Cable Hat, Asherton hat for toddler or adult, or Cap Karma Hat.

I was originally not going to share the pattern for this hat because I wasn't very happy with the way it turned out and didn't think I would knit it again, unless I sat down and worked out how to knit it in the round. I guess I really hate seaming. This was the first hat I've ever had to seam, and I have to say I much prefer knitting in the round. However I changed my mind, in case there is one person out there who might be interested in knitting one. And having the pattern here will make it that much easier for me when I'm ready to come back to it and try to convert it for round knitting.

Stitches used in this hat include:
Brocade Chevron, BW2 pg 148
Knit-Two Purl-Two Ribbing, BW1 pg 39
Stockinette Stitch, BW1 pg 10

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Claudia Hat
© Designed by S.M. Kahn, October 2006
Smariek Knits -=<>=- http://smariek.blogspot.com

Using Worsted Weight yarn & US8 (5mm) needles, cast on 94 stitches.

Row 1: K3, * P2, K2 *, end with K3
Row 2: P3, * K2, P2 *, end with P3
Row 3: K3, * P2, K2 *, end with K3
Row 4: P3, * K2, P2 *, end with P3
Row 5: K3, * P2, K2 *, end with K3
Row 6: P3, * K2, P2 *, end with P3
Row 7: Knit across
Row 8: Purl across
Row 9: Knit across
Row 10: Purl across
Row 11: K1, * RT, K8 * , end with RT, K1
Row 12: P1, * Sl2, P8 *, end with Sl2, P1
Row 13: K2, * LT, K6, RT *, end with K2
Row 14: K1, P1, * K1, Sl1, P6, Sl1, P1 *, end with K1, P1
Row 15: P1, K1, * P1, LT, K4, RT, K1 *, end with P1, K1
Row 16: (K1, P1)x2, * Sl1, P4, Sl1, (K1, P1)x2 *
Row 17: (P1, K1)x2, * LT, K2, RT, (P1, K1)x2 *
Row 18: K1, * (P1, K1)x2, Sl1, P2, Sl1, P1, K1 *, end with P1, K1, P1
Row 19: P1, * (K1, P1)x2, LT, RT, K1, P1 *, end with K1, P1, K1
Row 20: * (K1, P1)x3, Sl2, K1, P1 *, end with (K1, P1)x2
Row 21: * (P1, K1)x3, RT, P1, K1 *, end with (P1, K1)x2
Row 22: * K1, P1 *
Row 23: P1, * RT, (K1, P1)x4 *, end with RT, K1
Row 24: K1, * Sl2, (P1, K1)x4 *, end with Sl2, K1
Row 25: K2, * LT, (P1, K1)x3, RT *, end with K2
Row 26: P3, * Sl1, (K1, P1)x3, Sl1, P2 *, end with P1
Row 27: K3, * LT, (K1, P1)x2, RT, K2 *, end with K1
Row 28: P4, * Sl1, (P1, K1)x2, Sl1, P4 *
Row 29: K4, * LT, P1, K1, RT, K4 *
Row 30: P5, * Sl1, K1, P1, Sl1, P6 *, end last repeat with P5
Row 31: K5, * LT, RT, K6 *, end with K5
Row 32: P6, * Sl2, P8 *, end last repeat with P6
Row 33: K6, * RT, K8 *, end last repeat with K6
Row 34: Purl across
Row 35: Knit across
Row 36: Purl across

Decrease:

Row 1: K22, K2TOG, K21, K2TOG, K21, K2TOG, K22, K2TOG - 90 sts
Row 2: Purl across
Row 3: * K13, K2TOG * - 84 sts
Row 4: Purl across
Row 5: * K12, K2TOG * - 78 sts
Row 6: Purl across
Row 7: * K11, K2TOG * - 72 sts
Row 8: * P2TOG, P10 * - 66 sts
Row 9: * K9, K2TOG * - 60 sts
Row 10: * P2TOG, P8 * - 54 sts
Row 11: * K7, K2TOG * - 48 sts
Row 12: * P2TOG, P6 * - 44 sts
Row 13: * K5, K2TOG * - 36 sts
Row 14: * P2TOG, P4 * - 30 sts
Row 15: * K3, K2TOg * - 24 sts
Row 16: * P2TOG, P2 * - 18 sts
Row 17: * K1, K2Tog * - 12 sts
Row 18: * P2Tog * - 6 sts

Cut yarn, thread through remaining stitches. Sew seam. Weave ends.


Notes:

Everything between asterisks are repeated throughout the round. So * P2, K2 * just means you P2, K2 across the entire row.

x2, x3, and x4 after parentheses mean you do what is in the parentheses 2, 3, or 4 times. For example, (K1, P1) x2 means you do K1, P1 twice, viz. K1, P1, K1, P1.

K2TOG = Knit 2 stitches together

P2TOG = Purl 2 stitches together

Sl1 = slip one stitch, with yarn in front

Sl2 = slip two stitches, with yarn in front

RT = Skip the next stitch. Knit the 2nd stitch. Then knit the skipped stitch.

LT = Skip the next stitch. Knit the 2nd stitch in the back loop. Then knit the skipped stitch.

I'm a very inexperienced knitter, especially when it comes to knitting hats flat which require seaming at the end. Here's something you might want to try with this hat. Cast on 2 extra stitches to create a selvage that will make seaming easier; add a knit at the beginning and end of each row (actually, that would be knit on the right side, purl on the wrong side).

And I feel I must mention this again. I am really not very happy with how this hat turned out. Perhaps it is a bad design, perhaps it is just my lack of experience with hats knitted flat, perhaps it is my lack of experience with seaming, or a combination of all three. I hope you end up with better results if you decide to give this pattern a try. Good luck!

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