Beth bought this gorgeous yarn at the Pittsburgh Creative Arts Festival. It was dyed in such a manner that the rainbow pattern was optimized in a sock size, or over 60 to 70 stitches. The challenge was to create a hat that preserved the color spacing.

My idea was to knit the entire skein on a sock knitting machine and divide up the sections to create a hat and fingerless mitts. The three sections for the hat would be steeked to make a single layer fabric that would be mattress stitched together. The crown would be gathered and the opening would be ribbed. The mitts would be ribbed at the top and bottom, and a vertical slit cut in them for the thumb.

Splitting a 64st sock tube into pieces for a hat and fingerless mitts. A second sock tube will be used as a scarf.

Preparation:

1. Measure tube.
2. Run a length of contrast yarn in one vertical column to establish the cut line for hat sections only. Mitts will not be split, but will only have a small cut for the thumb hole.
3. Place removable stitch markers to indicate where sections begin/end. Leave at least 4 rows of selvage between each section.

Hat: (Assuming a 24” head circumference)

1. Measure hat sections. Sample was measured based on stripe placement. Each of 3 sections is ~10” in length. (5 gray stripes and 4 rainbow stripes.)
2. Place lifelines above and below the rows you have marked with stitch markers.
3. Snip yarn above or below Lifeline (as appropriate) directly across from the start/end of Lifeline. Unravel row from each side, working back toward the start/end of Lifeline. The two sections will separate. Repeat for third section.
4. Reinforce columns on either side of vertical cut line. This can be done with a sewing machine (as shown) or by hand with a crochet hook or needle felting (if 100% wool). Repeat for all sections.
5. Carefully cut the gutter stitches between two columns, removing your vertical line marker as you go. Repeat for all sections.
6. Carefully aligning the stripes, mattress stitch each panel to the next.
7. Finish by gathering all stitches at the crown and sew closed. Add 2x2 ribbing for the brim.

MItts: Repeat for both mitts

1. Add 2x2 ribbing to both the finger and wrist openings.
2. Determine what will be the front/back of each mitt and which will be left/right.
3. Pick up sts in row above and below cut row. Use a darning needle to identify the center/cut loop.
4. Cut and unravel the cut row on either side of the cut.
5. Knit in the round until desired length achieved.

Scarf: Bind off each end with 3-needle bind off.