Fafnir Hat by Karen Robinson

Fafnir Hat

Knitting
July 2016
Worsted (9 wpi) ?
22 stitches and 26 rows = 4 inches
in stockinette
US 7 - 4.5 mm
180 - 200 yards (165 - 183 m)
To fit: 24" (61 cm) circumference, 9.25" (23.5 cm) tall
English
This pattern is available for $5.00 USD buy it now

This men’s hat features a diamond-shaped cable pattern with straighter lines rather than the more curved lines usually found in cables, perfect for the man who needs a little extra warmth, whether or not he is slaying a dragon. The brim can be worn down or folded up to suit the size and style desired. The pattern contains both charted and fully written out instructions.

Yarn
Round Table Yarns Lancelot (100% superwash merino, 220 yds/200 m per 100 g); 1 skein; sample uses colorway Lanval (or approximately 180 yds of another worsted weight yarn)

Materials
US 7 (4.5 mm) 16” (40 cm) circular needle and set of DPNs, or size needed to obtain gauge
Stitch marker
Cable needle
Tapestry needle

Gauge
22 stitches and 26 rows over 4” (10 cm) in stockinette in the round, blocked

Finished Measurements
To fit: 24” (61 cm) circumference, 9.25” (23.5 cm) tall

Skill Level: Advanced Beginner
Skills needed: knitting in the round, working cables, decreases

Thank You
Thank you to my test knitters (Jaxdrisc, timstephens4, acsparky89, beadgal83, tweeks9394, dambird) who provided valuable feedback. And thank you to the women of Stitch Definition, who provided photography (Anne Podlesak), tech editing (Maureen Hannon), and graphic design/layout (Elizabeth Green Musselman).

About the Pattern Name
In the Volsunga Saga, an Icelandic story, Fafnir is a dragon who used to be a man. Driven by greed, he killed his father to get the gold he had received from Odin. But Odin had put a curse on the gold, and when Fafnir took it, he was transformed into a dragon. With the tendency of dragons to hoard gold, they are often thought of as the embodiment of greed, so this transformation is quite symbolic and appropriate.

Fafnir’s brother, Regin, convinces the hero Sigurd to slay this dragon and cook the heart so Regin can eat it. Sigurd accomplishes this task and then puts the heart over a fire to cook; however, he gets a taste of some of the blood from the heart when he puts his finger in his mouth and is given the ability to understand the language of birds. Through the birds, he learns that Regin plans to kill Sigurd. He is able to thwart Regin’s plan, kill him, and eat the dragon’s heart, which gives Sigurd the power of prophecy.

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