• View ecochildsplay’s profile on Facebook
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Twitter
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Instagram
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Pinterest
  • View Jennifer Lance’s profile on LinkedIn
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on YouTube
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Google+

Eco Child's Play

Live a greener, healthier life!

  • Environment
  • Pregnancy
  • Food & Recipes
  • Health News
  • Parenting
  • Green Toys
  • Beauty & Beauty Products
  • Green Home & Cleaning
  • Contact

Homeschool Shelter-in-Place Ideas: Learn to Knit + Hat Pattern

Covid hat #3

While other people are hoarding toilet paper during these times of social distancing and isolation, try hoarding yarn. Knitting is a therapeutic way to keep your hands and brain active while creating beautiful, useful items. It also involves a lot of math!

There are kids learn to knit kit you can buy to get you started, but they really aren’t necessary. There is so much information on the internet to get you started, as well as Youtube videos. To begin, look for videos about casting on and basic stitches of knit and purl. I actually prefer images to videos, but there is a wealth of information you can find when you come to something in a pattern you do not understand. A good book like Debbie Bliss‘ How to Knit can be a useful reference as well.

Please understand that this post is written from a beginning knitter’s perspective. I’ve made three hats since the Coronavirus shelter-in-place order began. The first one is not very good and will be taken apart. Prior to this, my only knitting experience was making a sweater when my daughter was a baby. This project was never completed.

Knit a Swatch

One essential part of knitting I often skip is knitting a swatch to determine gauge. In a rush to begin the actual project and partially because I didn’t quite understand it (and am still a bit confused), I would just jump into casting on. When the size was off, I often would adjust the number of stitches once I’ve begun to size correctly, but this is much more difficult and often involves starting over. I’ve resigned to swatch knitting.

Knitting a swatch helps you determine what size needles to use for the yarn you are using and your natural tension. It’s best to use the pattern of the project, otherwise just use stockinette stitch. For example, the hat pattern shared below called for casting on 92 stitches. I knitted a swatch and found that the yarn I was using, Mirasol Huni as a carrier for Cascade Yarns El Cielo with the size US 10 needles I had, was actually four stitches per inch. Given that I wanted a 20 inches circumference for the hat, I cast on 80 stitches instead of 92. Sure this messed up the pattern a little bit, but it was hardly noticeable and the hat fit perfectly.

The first hat made with Mirasol Huni Yarn

The first hat I made with this pattern I did not knit a swatch, and I thought I needed to double the number of stitches called for in the pattern. After a few inches of knitting, I realized it had a huge circumference and had to undo hours of work.

Knitting a Hat

This pattern is based upon Mirasol’s Tintiri Hat Pattern. I altered it a bit to knit in the round rather than flat like the pattern.

Size 10 circular needles 16” using Mirasol Huni yarn.

Cast on 92 sts or what is needed after knitting swatch to measure 20” circumference or adjust the needle size. Make sure stitches are straight before joining the round and use a marker.

4 stitches per inch gauge for Mirasol Huni Wool with El Cielo Alpaca cast on 80 sts. Numbers below refer to the original pattern with 92 stitches cast on. I don’t know the gauge with just the Huni, as I didn’t knit a swatch.

Rib

p2 [k4,p2]

Repeat until measures ¾ inch from cast on edge

Dec Row

P2 tog, k4 [p2,k4] to last 2 stitches p2 tog (90 sts)

Diagnol pattern

[P2, K4] to end for four rows  

[K2, P2, K2] to end for four rows

[K4, P2] to end for four rows 

Repeat until measures 6-7 in from cast ending with last row [K4, P2]

If not ending with the last row, adjust to shape the crown to follow the pattern. (I did not do this for the alpaca hat.)

Shape crown

1st row: [k2 tog, k2, p2] to end (75 sts)

2nd row: [p2, k3] to end

3rd row: [k2tog, k1, p2] to end (60sts)

4th row: [p2, k2] to end

5th row: [k2 tog, p2] to end (45 sts)

6th row: [p2, k1] to end

7th row: [k1, p2tog] to end (30sts)

8th row: [p1, k1] to end

9th row: [k2tog] to end (15sts)

Switch to double ended needles when crown is too small for circular needles. 

Thread needle through remaing stitches to tighten crown. Tie off and thread end into hat.

  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Pinterest
  • Print
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • More
  • WhatsApp
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Subscribe!

« Homeschool Cooking: Easy, Vegan, Gluten-Free Apple Crisp
COVID-19: How’s remote learning going for your family? »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search Content

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter


About Eco Child’s Play

Our ethos is to provide news, information, and opinions on natural, green parenting to help your family live a greener, healthier life! Additionally, we offer personal consulting services to help you achieve your green living goals.

Jennifer is a vegetarian, yoga teacher, gardener, hiker, teacher, and mother that has been living off-the-grid for over 20 years.

Contact Eco Child’s Play

Plants Over Plastics! Repurpose Compostable Home Products

Convenient Plastic Container Free Dropps Laundry & Dishwashing Pods

More from the archives!

Organic Kids' Fashion: Petite Miette Playtime Wrap

And the Winner Is….EcoMum!

5 ideas and tips for organizing and communicating your family’s schedule

Kid Friendly Recipes: Vegetarian Corn Chowder

What Can Your DNA Tell You? Infographic

cbd salve joy organics

CBD Products that Actually Deliver: Joy Organics

wama hemp underwear

The Most Comfortable Underwear is Made of Hemp: WAMA Review

Information

  • About & Contact
  • Archive
  • Blog
  • Consulting Services
  • Disclaimer, Disclosure, & Sponsored Posts
  • Privacy Policy

Our Second Eco Child's Play Kiva Loan

Gardening With Kids

pooping

Are you pooping wrong?

continuous fetal monitoring

Continuous Fetal Monitoring During Labor Leads to Unnecessar​​​y Interventions

10 Green Book Recommendations: Are Your Kids’ Books Destroying the Rainforest?

Popular Categories

  • Breastfeeding
  • Health News
  • Natural Childbirth
  • Parenting
  • Education
  • Product Review
  • Green Toys

Get our posts via email

Please stay in touch!

You might also like to read…

Sometimes Ya Gotta Giggle

Canned Food and BPA

Being Green in a Tight Economy: Part III

5 Green Products: Green Halloween Treats (Organic Lollipops) to Zoe Organics Handcrafted Skincare

green gifts mom will love

25 Last Minute Green Gifts Mom Will Absolutely Love

Copyright © 2023 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2023 · Divine Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.