This baby hat was designed for the Period of Purple Crying Program at the IWK Health Centre. The PURPLE program educates parents about normal infant crying and teaches coping skills in order to prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome. The pattern’s print version in .pdf format is available.
These beautiful pictures were taken by a local photographer Shannon Bower, who generously donated her services to the project. Charlotte Quiggle did pro bono technical editing. Thank you, Shannon and Charlotte!
Click here for the IWK Health Centre address, or check the implementaion map (scroll down the page) to find your local PURPLE program.
Little Knight Purple Hat
Materials: Bernat Satin #4, colour Lavender, 42 m (45 yrds), or any other soft acrylic yarn in worsted weight, 3.5 mm (US#4) and 4 mm (US#6) double-pointed needles, tapestry needle, stitch markers
Abbreviations:
k = knit
p = purl
k1-tbl = knit 1 st through the back loop
sl (slip) = transfer a stitch purlwise from the left needle to the right without knitting
k2tog = knit 2 sts together
CDD (Centred Double Decrease) = slip 2 sts as if to k2tog, k1, then pass 2 slipped sts over the knitted st. 1 st on the needle.
Gauge: 21 sts and 28 rnds over 10 cm (4″) in stockinette st with larger needles.
Head circumference: 37 cm (14.5 in), average newborn size
PLEASE NOTE: the hat’s cast-on edge must be very stretchy to fit comfortably over a baby’s head. Please follow cast-on instructions.
With two smaller needles held together, cast on 60 sts. Pull one needle out. Distribute sts to 3 double-pointed needles as follows: 29-16-15; mark beginning of round and join, being careful not to twist. The stitches are now divided for the front (29 sts on the first needle) and back (31 sts on the 2nd and 3rd needles combined)*.
Rnds 1-10: K1-tbl, p1.
Rnd 11: (K1-tbl, p1) 15 times, k30.
Rnd 12: (K1-tbl, p1) 15 times, p30.
Switch to larger needles.
Rnd 13: P2, (k1-tbl, p1) 12 times, k1-tbl, p2. K31.
Rnd 14: K1, p1, (k1-tbl, p1) 12 times, k1-tbl, p1, k1. K31.
Rnd 15: K2, p2, (k1-tbl, p1) 10 times, k1-tbl, p2, k2. K31.
Rnd 16: K3, p1, (k1-tbl, p1) 10 times, k1-tbl, p1, k3. K31.
Rnd 17: K4, p2, (k1-tbl, p1) 8 times, k1-tbl, p2, k4. K31.
Rnd 18: K5, p1, (k1-tbl, p1) 8 times, k1-tbl, p1, k5. K31.
Rnd 19: K6, p2, (k1-tbl, p1) 6 times, k1-tbl, p2, k6. K31.
Rnd 20: K7, p1, (k1-tbl, p1) 6 times, k1-tbl, p1, k7. K31.
Rnd 21: K8, p2, (k1-tbl, p1) 4 times, k1-tbl, p2, k8. K31.
Rnd 22: K9, p1, (k1-tbl, p1) 4 times, k1-tbl, p1, k9. K31.
Rnd 23: K10, p2, (k1-tbl, p1) 2 times, k1-tbl, p2, k10. K31.
Rnd 24: K11, p1, (k1-tbl, p1) 2 times, k1-tbl, p1, k11. K31.
Rnd 25: K12, p2, k1-tbl, p2, k12. K31.
Rnd 26: K13, p3, k13, k31.
Crown
To make crown shaping easier, redistribute sts on needles to end with 15-15-30 as follows:
Knit first 7 sts on the first needle and transfer them to the 3rd needle for the new beginning of rnd; slip the last 7 sts on the first needle to the 2nd needle, leaving 15 sts on the first needle with the p3 in the center; slip the last 7 sts on the 2nd needle to the 3rd needle, leaving 15 sts on the 2nd needle; there should now be 30 sts on the 3rd needle.
Rnd 27: (K6, CDD, k6) 4 times. (52 sts)
Rnd 28: (K6, sl1, k6) 4 times.
Rnd 29: (K5, CDD, k5) 4 times. (44 sts)
Rnd 30: (K5, sl1, k5) 4 times.
Rnd 31: (K4, CDD, k4) 4 times. (36 sts)
Rnd 32: (K4, sl1, k4) 4 times.
Rnd 33: (K3, CDD, k3) 4 times. (28 sts)
Rnd 34: (K2, CDD, k2) 4 times. (20 sts)
Rnd 35: (K1, CDD, k1) 4 times. (12 sts)
Rnd 36: (CDD) 4 times. (4 sts)
Cut yarn, leaving a 15 cm (6″) tail. Using tapestry needle, thread tail through remaining sts and pull tight. Weave in ends.
*The stitches are divided as 29-16-15 to avoid ‘ladders’ on the front and for easier shaping of the ribbed part.
love the hat but needing one to fit petite 17 month old. was wondering if the pattern can be made bigger and if so how
Thanks! I would start with the head circumference divided by gauge to get the number of stitches you need to add. One thing to keep in mind is that the total number of stitches should be a multiple of 4, while the number in each quoter should be an odd number.
I would also add a few more rounds of the ribbing before shaping the ‘visor”. Good luck!
Beautiful work! Very clean and crisp!
Can this be made with DK yarn and size 7 needles?
You definitely could try. It’s hard to predict how it will look with your particular tension but I see where you are going with it. So, you could either make a swatch and compare the gauge with that in the pattern, or just make a hat (because making a proper swatch will take almost as much time) and see what size it turns out to be. If it is a donation for a hospital, they will accept slightly larger or smaller hats as babies come in all sizes and it will fit someone.
But if you knit it as gift for a certain newborn, than you might want to check the size by stretching the hat over your hands as if ‘hugging’ a baby’s head. Providing flat measurements is not as useful because the hat looks small but is stretchy because of the ribbing, and the final size depends on your tension, even if it measures flat the same.
I hope it helps and good luck!
undoubtly one of the best baby hats ever I have made three for the newest arrivial. Ariving on 16.06.2012 I cannot wait to see my tinest little treasure wearing them proud Grandma Susie to be
Oh, I am so happy to hear that you liked it. Thank you, Proud Grandma Susie to be!
I can’t wait to get started!
I haven’t knitted for years but I want to knit this. Thank you for sharing. XXX
Really cute pattern. Hope to give it a try. Thanks for sharing it.
Hugs and happy stitching,
Kae
Thanks!