Red Hat Bags are here

What’s a handbag without matching hat? Here’s something for both the Red Hatters and the Pink Hatters. These pillbox hats are designed with embellishments that look great worn on the back, front, or side. Knit and embellish as shown here, or feel free to let your imagination decorate it to display your own unique personality.

Materials:

Red Hat –
2 balls (200 gr.) Crystal Palace Yarns Iceland in Red Cerise (Color A)
1 ball (50 gr.) Crystal Palace Yarns Fjord in Amethyst (Color B)
1 ball (50 gr.) Crystal Palace Yarns Fjord in Vine Green (Color C)

Pink Hat –
2 100 gr. balls Crystal Palace Yarns Iceland  in Strawberry Pink (Color D)
Remnants of: Crystal Palace Yarns Fjord in Periwinkle (Color E)
Crystal Palace Yarns Fjord in Lavender (Color F)
Crystal Palace Yarns Fjord in Amethyst (Color G)

1 Crystal Palace Bamboo or DAISY Needles U.S. size #13 (9.0mm) 26" or 29" circular needle
1 set of U.S. size #13 (9.0mm) double pointed needles (alternatively, use Magic Loop method to finish center top of hat)
1 pair US size #7 (4.5 mm) straight or circular needles
1 stitch marker
Tapestry needle
Sewing needle and coordinating sewing thread
½ yard tulle for each hat

Gauge:
2½ stitches per inch and 3½ rows per inch worked in stockinette stitch in the round on size #13 needles
Dimensions:
Before felting – 10" diameter across the top of the hat; 9¼" tall
After felting – 7e" diameter across the top of the hat; 4¼" tall; 22" circumference at bottom of the band, as
measured inside the hat. Measurements will vary slightly due to degree of felting and shaping
techniques used.

Abbreviations:
K Knit
Kf/b Knit into the front and then into the back of the same stitch
P Purl
M1 Make one stitch
SSK Slip, slip, knit
K2tog Knit two stitches together
PM Place marker
RS Right side
WS Wrong side
Sl Slip one stitch
Sl 2 Slip 2 stitches
wyif With yarn in front
BO Bind off
CO Cast on
Rnd Round
Sl M Slip marker
TD Triple decrease – Slip two stitches together knitwise from the left to right needle, knit the
next two stitches on the LH needle together. Pass the two slipped stitches together over
the stitch made from the K2tog. A decrease of 3 stitches.
DD Double decrease – Slip two stitches together knitwise from the left needle to the right
needle, knit the next stitch on the LH needle. Pass the two slipped stitches together over
the stitch just knit. A decrease of 2 stitches.

Red Hat Version:
Use the size #13 needle and 1 strand of Color A to cast on 72 stitches. PM, join, and knit in the round. Work stockinette
stitch (knit every row) for 27 rows. For round 28 only, add one additional strand of Color A and P one round. Cut the
second strand of Color A and P round 29 as well. The two rows of purls will give definition to the top edge of the hat.
Begin to decrease in the following manner, starting with Rnd 30 (K all odd rounds). Switch to double pointed needs or
Magic Loop method when necessary. –
[Note: the below section was revised 1/31/08]
Rnd 30 *K7, K2tog*
Rnd 32 *K6, K2tog*
Rnd 34 *K5, K2tog*
Rnd 36*K4, K2tog*
Rnd 38 *K3, K2tog*
Rnd 40 *K2, K2tog*
Rnd 42 *K1, K2tog*
Rnd 44 *K2tog*
Rnd 45 K, cut yarn, pull through all 8 stitches on the needle, and weave in ends

Leaves:
With the size #7 needles and Color C, CO 12 stitches. P all even rows. Make 2.
Row 1 K
Row 3 K1, M1, Knit to the last stitch, M1, K1
Row 5 Repeat Row 3 (16 stitches)
Row 7 K6, TD, K6 (13 stitches)
Row 9 K5, DD, K5
Row 11 K
Row 13 K4, DD, K4
Row 15 K3, DD, K3
Row 17 K2, DD, K2
Row 19 K1, DD, K1
Row 21 DD, cut yarn, pull tail through the remaining loop, and weave in ends
Cabbage Rose:
Use the size #7 needle and Color B. Cast on 200 stitches. Purl all even rows.
Row 1, 3 K
Row 5 *K2tog* (100 stitches)
Row 7, 9 K
Row 11 *K2tog* (50 stitches)
Row 13, 15 K
Row 16 P, turn, and then pass each stitch on the LH needle over the first stitch on the needle. Cut yarn, pull tail
through the remaining stitch. Twist into a cabbage rose and secure the ends.

Finishing:
Felt the hat, rose, and leaves using your preferred method and shape to dry. A cookie tin works well if you can find one
that is the same circumference of the head of the person for whom you are knitting the hat. Twist the rose as tightly or
as loosely as desired and pin into shape and dry. Shape and pin the leaves.
When dry, create a band with the tulle and sew on the flower and leaves as illustrated in the photo.

Pink Hat version:
Knit the hat using the instructions for the Red Hat, substituting Color D for Color A.
Bobbles: Make 2 with Color E, 2 with Color F, and 1 with Color G (5 total)
Make a slip knot with a 8" tail and place it onto the size #7 needle. Knit into the front and the back of that one stitch to
create 7 stitches, and then work as follows, purling all even rows:
Row 1, 3 K
Row 5 SSK, K3, K2tog
Row 7 SSK, K1, K2tog
Row 9 K3tog, cut yarn to 8" long and pull through the remaining stitch.
Thread the bound off yarn tail through a tapestry needle and baste around the edge of the bobble back to the bound off
end. Wind the cast on yarn tail into a small bundle, stuff it into the bobble, and pull up the basting yarn tightly to create
a small ball. Secure the end and cut excess yarn. 1 bobble made.

Finishing:
Felt the hat and bobbles using your preferred method and shape to dry. A cookie tin works well if you can find one that is
the same circumference of the head of the person for whom you are knitting the hat.
When dry, create a band and a pouf with the tulle and sew on the bobbles as illustrated in the photo.
 

Pattern Copyright 2007 Crystal Palace Yarns/Straw Into Gold, Inc. - We are happy to share this  pattern with knitters. The pattern may be used for non-commercial personal or knitting guild use. It is not to be used in any publication in print nor should it be reproduced in electronic/digital format without permission. Knitting shops carrying CP Yarns Iceland and Fjord are welcome to print and share this pattern with customers of our yarns.

Retail shops in the USA should contact CPY Wholesale for information on purchasing
Crystal Palace Yarns and email cpyinfo -at- straw.com (replace the -at- with @)

or write to:
Crystal Palace Yarns, 160 23rd St., Richmond, CA 94804
phone: 510-237-9988,  fax: 510-237-9809