Drop Stitch Hat by Robin Kline

Drop Stitch Hat

Knitting
July 2017
Aran (8 wpi) ?
20 stitches and 30 rows = 4 inches
US 5 - 3.75 mm
250 - 300 yards (229 - 274 m)
Premie, Baby, Child and Adult
English
This pattern is available as a free Ravelry download

This is a very simple, easy, stretchy hat that works well with 2 contrasting colors. Only one color is used per round, the dropped stitch makes the designs. The hat is knit in the round (to eliminate seams and purling) and has no decreases. When dropping the stitches with the contrasting color and picking up the same color, your tension will determine if the fabric lays flat or “bubbles” up a bit. I like a little bubble for the texture. This is an easy knit as 10 of the 12 rows are just plain knitting. The rows with the dropped stitches are offset, creating the brick-like pattern. Choose your colors to define your pattern. If green is used as the accent color B, and color A is red, it could represent apples or strawberries, purple could be grapes or plums, orange could be oranges or pumpkins. You can also use more than one Color A for a stained glass effect, Using similar colors/tones will accent the texture more. Let your imagination run wild.

Yarn: Worsted Weight. I used Loops & Threads Impeccable for the pictured hat. (Other weights can be used, just adjust the needle size and number of stitches/rows). About 1/2 of a typical skein of each color is used.

Needles: 3.75 mm – 16” circular or longer if using Magic Loop; or 2 circulars with half the stitches on each needle. Use the size needle that gives you the best stitch definition for the type and size yarn used. A third needle of similar size is needed for the 3 needle bind off.

Gauge: 20 stitches = 4”. 30 rows = 4”. Your gauge does not need to match this, just adjust the number of stitches cast on and number of completed rows for the desired size