The Great Knit Witch

Based on “The Mask”, a Lace Panel Pattern Transcribed by Barbara G. Walker

Witches are here, there, and everywhere! The more, the Merrier! Witches fare well on their own too. Make one, two, or three, and see! This is something fun to knit that may take a day or two, and will give back for years to come (like ALL the fiber arts do). Happy SAFF 2025, & Happy Knitting to You! (SAFF Pattern Release October 25, 2025)

Materials: the same weight yarn in 3 colors: Face, Hair, & Hat (plus small amount of a fourth color for Hatband) - I LOVE Farmer’s Daughter Fibers Soka’pii & its beautiful colors; straight needles in a good size for your yarn choice (see package recommendations for yarn if needed), DPNs for the alternate hat; thin twigs for hanging (I used the rachides from a black walnut tree in my yard; hawthorn would be a good choice too!)

Special Stitch Techniques:

RT- Right twist: K2tog., leave on ndl; then insert right-hand ndl between the st.’s just knitted tog., and knit the first st. again, then sl. Both st.’s from left-hand ndl.

LT- Left twist: skip 1 stitch and knit the second st. In back loop, then K2-b (the skipped st. And the knit st.); sl. Both st.’s from the ndl together.

MB- Make bobble: (K1, YO, K1, YO, K1) in one st., turn and P5, turn and K5, turn and P2tog, P1, P2tog, turn and sl.1-K2tog-psso, completing bobble.

To Make:

Note: for all rows, the K2 at beg. & end of each row are a border I’ve added to the lace panel. This can be omitted if desired; 30-row panel pattern is within parentheses ()

Cast on 34 stitches in Face Color

Row 1: Knit

R2 (prep row for hanging): K2, YO, K2-tog, K1, YO, rep. from until last 4 stitches, then: K2, YO, K2.

R3: knit

R4: K2, (P11, K8, P11), K2.

R5: K2, (K11, P8, K11), K2.

R6: K2, (P10, RT, K6, LT, P10), K2.

R7: K2, (K10, P10, K10), K2.

R8: K2, (P9, RT, K8, LT, P9), K2.

R9: K2, (K9, P12, K9), K2.

R10: K2, (P8, RT, K3, K2-tog, YO, ssk, K3, LT, P8,) K2.

R11: K2, (K8, P4, P2tog-b, YO, P1, YO, P2tog, P4, K8), K2.

R12: K2, (P7, RT, K2, K2 tog, YO, K3, YO, ssk, K2, LT, P7), K2.

R13: K2, (K7, P3, P2tog-b, YO, P5, YO, P2tog, P3, K7), K2.

R14: K2, (P6, RT, K1, K2tog, YO, K7, YO, ssk, K1, LT, P6), K2.

R15: K2, (K6, P17, K6), K2.

R16: K2, (P5, RT, k1, K2tog, YO, K9, YO, SSK, K1, LT, P5), K2.

R17: K2, (K5, P19, K5), K2.

R18: K2, (P5, K9, Sl1 as if to P1-b, K9, P5), K2.

R19: K2, (K5, P9, Sl1wyif, P9, K5), K2.

R20: K2, (P5, K9, ((K1, P1)x3, K1) into next stitch, making 7 st.’s from 1, K9, P5), K2.

R21: K2, (K5, P25, K5), K2.

R22: K2, (P5, K16, (turn, P7, turn, K7)x3, K9, P5), K2.

R23: K2, (K5, P9, Sl. 7 wyif loosely, P9, K5), K2.

R24: K2, (P5, K8, MB, Sl. 7 wyib loosely, MB, K8, P5), K2.

R25: Repeat R23.

R26: K2, (P5, K9, Sl.7 wyib loosely, K9, P5), K2.

R27: Repeat R21.

R28: K2, (P5, K11, Sl.2-K1-psso, K11, P5), K2.

R29: K2, (K5, P23, K5,) K2.

R30: K2, (P5, K3, K2tog, YO(x3), SSK, K3, Sl.2-K1-P2SSO, repeat from * to , P5,) K2.

R31: K2, (K5, P2, P2tog-b, (P1, K1)x3 into the long YO loop, P2tog, P5, rep. from * to , P2, K5), K2.

R32: K2, (P5, K1, K2tog, (K1, P1)x3, SSK, K3, K2tog, (K1, P1)x3, SSK, K1, P5), K2.

R33: K2, (K5, P2tog-b, (P1, YO)x5, P1, P2tog, P1, rep from * to , K5), K2.

R34: K2, (P5, SSK, K9, K2tog, K1, SSK, K9, K2tog, P5), K2.

R35: K2, (K5, P2tog, (P1, K1)x3, P1, P2tog-b, P1, P2tog, (P1, K1)x3, P1, P2tog-b, K5), K2.

R36: K2, (P5, K1, (P1, K1)x3, P1, K3, (P1, K1)x3, P1, K1, P5,) K2.

R37: K2, (K5, P1, K7, P3, K7, P1, K5), K2.

R38: K2, (P5, K8, P3, K8, P5), K2.

R39: K2, (K5, P19, K5), K2.

R40: K2, (P6, K6, P5, K6, P6), K2.

R41: K2, (K6, P19, K6), K2.

R42: K2, (P7, K4, P7, K4, P7), K2.

R43: K2, (K8, P13, K8), K2.

R44(another row for hanging): K1, (K2tog, YO, K1), rep. from to last 3 st.’s, then: K2, YO, K1.

R45: Knit.

+See symbol for alternate “separate hat” instructions below.

Hat:

R46: Change to Hat Color yarn, P across all panel(head) st.’s (K34). CO 6 st.’s.

R47: K across cast on st.’s, head, and CO 6 st.’s at opposite end.

R48: Purl.

R49: Sl. 1 knitwise, K1, PSSO, K across row.

R50: Sl. 1 knitwise, K1, PSSO, P across row.

R’s 51 & 53: BO 2, P across row.

R’s 52 & 54:BO 2, K across row.

R55: BO 3, P across row.

R56: BO 3, K across row.

Repeat r’s 55 & 56 until width is the same as top of witch’s head. End with a RS (even-numbered) row.

Then make hat band by knitting 2 rows of chosen hat and color. Then break yarn & change back to Hat Color.

Continue to tip of hat, knitting on right side and purling on wrong side, decreasing one stitch at beg of each r. When there is one st. left, cut long tail and pull all the way through last knit loop. You will use the tail for hanging the witch.

Make a few corkscrew curls by casting on desired number of st.’s, then K1. P1. K1 into each st. Then BO purlwise. Use fingers to correct spirals. Sew to top of face as desired. (I cast on various stitch amounts, such as 22, 33, & 47.) This technique comes from Nicky Epstein’s book, Knitting Over the Edge.

Weave in all the ends.

Hanging Her Up:
Poke sticks through both YO eyelet rows and stretch out face before hanging. Use tail from top of hat to hang the witch.

Great Job! You are Done!!

+ alt. R46: Bind off if You’d Rather Make a Separate Hat.

Then: use hat color and…

R1: CO 1 st, leaving long tail.

R2: K1, inc. 1

From here, begin i-cord technique and make a few rows, increasing one stitch per row at beg. of each row. Place marker if it makes this easier for you!*

When there are enough stitches, switch to 4 dpn’s and continue rounds, increasing one st. at beg. of each round.

Work this way until bottom of cone is about the width of the witch’s head. (For me, this was around 55 stitches.)

Then begin increasing 4 stitches per row, continuing rounds this way until brim is the desired width (this was about 104 stitches for me).

BO loosely to allow for hat’s expansion.

Thread long tail from CO down through center of hat, and tie to center of top hanging stitch on your witch (see hanging instructions above).

Congrats: You are DONE!