I told Alicia I could do these, but I wouldn’t do anything fancy. She told the kids that, and Skyler wants his name and Cali wants LED lights! Good thing I said not fancy.

I checked my gauge with this machine and this yarn the way I learned from calumetknits / @Mary Moilanen in her gingham blanket pattern. I based the # of rows on that gauge according to the size charts I found for these ages. I sure hope they fit.

CALI’S HAT (6yo)
Measurements: 7.5” w x 9” t

Tube was 16” long before closing hat.
No. of rows 96, top stripe stripe was 11 rows (I found that it needed more to look like the same size as the others and I probably could have done 12), the rest were 10, the orange was 20, inside was 45.

I thought I had the LEDs figured out (attach yarn to stitch, ch2, dc, slst back into stitch), but the tails are coming out or at least they could very easily come out. One idea is to dab a bit of hot glue on the back side and press the ends in, but I’ve already closed the hat, so that might not be doable.

UPDATE: 2/24/24 Completed the bobbles for LED lights with a 3.25mm hook and a 2dctog. I knotted the ends well, then dabbed on Fray Check and trimmed them all the way to the knot. Fingers crossed.

SKYLER’S HAT (10yo)
Measurements: 7.5” w x 10” t
No. of rows 110
Tube was 18” long before closing hat.
I’ve practiced the duplicate stitch numerous times in order to make it look like it wasn’t done by a kindergartner. I decided my letters were too wide, so Brookie plotted some for me, and I’ll practice those next before I put them on his hat.

2/19/24 made another practice attempt at Skyler’s name. I can’t quite figure out how to do a half stitch and I clearly am getting confused on my rows. I am going to try the disappearing ink later on to make sure it actually disappears.

2/24/24
I was SOOOO careful to be sure I got Skyler’s name right and I STILL messed up the R. For the love …. I used a lifeline all around the area to be sure I didn’t go to high or too low, I marked the bottom right and left stitches of each letter, and I counted and recounted.

Duplicate stitch tips:
. yarn should be thicker than project yarn
. lifeline all around the area
. mark the bottom right and left stitches of each letter with closing stitch marker
. start in center bottom with a very long tail. Work first top to bottom and right to left until the entire left side of name or design is done, then go back, thread the long tail onto tapestry needed, and finish letters from bottom to top.

Standard Headsizes
(per Calumet Knits’ beanie cheatsheet listing):
Newborn to 6mos, 13-15”
6 to 12mos, 16-17”
Toddler, 18-19”
Child, 19-20”
Adult Small, 20-21”
Adult Medium, 22-23”
Adult Large, 24-25”