FREE Pattern: String Quartet Baby Hat

Here’s a unique hat I designed a while back for a cellist friend (Stephanie) to knit for a mutual violist friend who was having a baby. Since I'd already made a pair of viola booties for this baby, Stephanie wanted to try knitting a viola scroll onto a hat. I knit up this sample hat so I could write a pattern for Stephanie to make, and had a lot of fun both designing and photographing it. I waited to post this until Stephanie finished and sent off the project so that I wouldn't spoil the surprise, which is why Annie is almost a year younger in these pictures. (OK, I could've posted this before Christmas. Life has been a little crazy these last few months.)

Size: 3-6 months (Stretches well, and can be changed easily by going up or down in needle size)

Materials: 3-5 colors of worsted yarn, one in a nice wood shade of brown like a violin, one in a contrasting shade for strings.

Tools: 16 inch circular needle, size 8; set of 4 double pointed needles (dpn), size 8; yarn needle; scissors

Hat

Cast on 60 stitches. Join, and work in k2p2 ribbing for four rows to form the brim. Change to stockinette stitch (k every row), working stripe sequence as desired. Work 4 inches from brim/4.5 inches from cast on edge.

Begin decrease sequence

Row 1: k8, k2tog (54 sts)

Row 2 and all even rows: k all sts

Row 3: k7, k2tog (48 sts)

Row 5: k6, k2tog (42 sts)

Row 7: k5, k2tog (36 sts)

Row 8: k all sts, CHANGE TO DPNs

Row 9: k4, k2tog (30 sts)

Row 11: k3, k2 tog (24 sts)

Row 13: k2, k2tog (18 sts)

Scroll pattern

Arrange all stitches on 2 dpns (9 sts on each needle) with seam in back (5 sts on first needle, 9 on next, 4 on third needle, then knit first 5 onto needle with the 4; 9 on each needle) and work to form a flat tube.

All measurements are from start of scroll pattern. Each increase or decrease row is repeated on both needles, stitch count is for both needles.

Row 1-10: k even (1 in), 18 sts.

Row 11: k2, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k2. 14 sts.

Row 12-15: k even (2.25 in).

Row 16: k1, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k1. 10 sts.

Row 17-29: k even (4.25 in).

Row 30: k2, m1, k1, m1, k2. 14 sts.

Row 31-34: k even (5 in)

Row 35: k3, m1, k1, m1, k3. 18 sts.

Row 36-39: k even (5.75 in)

Row 40: k4, m1, k1, m1, k4. 22 sts.

Row 41-59: k even (8.5 in)

Row 60: k5, m1, k1, m1, k5. 26 sts.

Row 61-64: k even (9.25 in)

Row 65: k6, m1, k1, m1, k6. 30 sts.

Row 66-69: k even (10.5 in)

Row 70: k7, m1, k1, m1, k7. 34 sts.

Row 71-74: k even (11.25 in)

Row 75: k8, m1, k1, m1, k8. 38 sts.

Row 76-86: k even

Entire scroll piece measures 13 inches.

Cut yarn, graft front and back needles together with kitchener stitch. Tie off and hide tail end inside tube.

With contrasting color, embroider with the chain stitch up the center back of the scroll to highlight the ridge.

Roll toward the front so that scroll makes three full circles, consult photo as needed. Sew bottom front edge of scroll to hat with main color.

Pegs

Fold hat in half, front to back. On left edge just below crown decrease, pick up and knit two stitches with one needle. Repeat with second needle: 4 sts.

Row 2-3 knit in the round to form i-cord

Row 4: co 2 sts, k2, co 2. Repeat on second needle. 12 sts.

Row 5-7: k even.

Row 8: k2tog, k2, k2 tog. Repeat on second needle. 8 sts.

Cut yarn and graft stitches together with kitchener stitck.

Repeat for four more pegs, referring to photo for placement.

Strings

Secure strand of yarn to peg, pulling tail through and hiding inside peg. Wind string around peg twice, then bring over the peg and down to the middle front of hat. Yarn goes in at top of the brim, then circles around brim, back inside and secured. Repeat with four other pegs, referring to picture for help.

Finishing

Secure any loose threads, making especially certain that strings are tied tightly.

Enjoy! Let me know if you find any errors in this pattern. If you make a string quartet hat, I'd love to see any of your versions of this pattern on Ravelry!

FREE Pattern: Ladybug Pacifier Clip

What is more fun than an enormous, creepy-crawly-cute ladybug? This pacifier clip is perfect for either baby girls or boys, and knits up in only a few hours. Although the skills involved are pretty basic, it does take a good eye to put this fuzzy insect together, so keep in mind this is an intermediate-level project.

Because this is a yarn stash-busting project, you can use any of those small balls of leftover yarn to make it. You could even make a purple ladybug on an orange stem.

This pattern is free for personal use, but I do request that you not make these to sell. Please let me know if you have any questions or find any errors in this pattern. I really look forward to seeing some feedback!

Size: 6.5 inch pacifier clip. If you want it longer, knit the I-cord on the stem longer. Gauge is not very important in this project.

Materials:

• Small amounts of yarn in red, green, black and cream. Red should be sock or dk weight, green, black and cream work better with worsted weight yarn.
• One suspender clip, ¾ in. size. These are available from http://www.etsy.com/shop/PacifierClipSupplies
• 1 small (1 cm. – ¼ in.) green button

Tools:

• Set of three double-pointed needles, US Size 3
• Yarn needle
• Scissors

Make Stem:

Cast on 4 stitches with green.

Row 1-2: knit

Row 3: k3, pass 2nd stitch over 3rd, k1, pass 2nd stitch over 4th. 2 stitches remain with a hole of two stitches.

Row 4: k1, m2, k1. You have just formed the button hole!

Knit even until piece measures 2 inches.

Next row: k1, k2tog, k1. 3 stitches remain. Do not turn. Work across these three stitches to form I-cord.

Knit I-cord for 9 inches.

Increase to attach pacifier clip: k1, (m1, k1) 2 times. 5 stitches.

If yarn is very lightweight, work one more row k1, m1, k3, m1, k1. 7 stitches.

Cut yarn, leaving tail of 6 inches. Thread tail through yarn needle and securely sew live stitches to the clip using a figure-eight motion. Tie off in back of clip, and pull remaining yarn up through the stem to hide the tail.

Make Ladybug:

Cast on 6 stitches in red, divide onto two needles. Join to work in the round.

Row 1: On each needle, k1, (m1, k1)x2. 10 stitches total.

Row 2 and all even rows: knit

Row 3: On each needle, k1, (m1, k1)x4. 18 stitches total.

Row 5: On each needle, k2, m1, k3, m1, k2, m1, k2. 24 stitches total

Rows 6-12: knit

Row 13: On each needle (k2, k2 tog)x3

Row 14: knit

Row 15: On each needle (k1, k2tog)x3. Cut red yarn

Loosely wind spare yarn (red or black) around two fingers approx 15 times to create stuffing for ladybug. Cut yarn and stuff body.

Row 16: With black, knit all 12 stitches.

Row 17: On each needle, k1, ssk, k2tog, k1

Row 18: knit

Row 19: On each needle, ssk, k2tog

Cut yarn with ~36 in long tail and graft stitches together with kitchener stitch.

Embroidery:

Prod ladybug body into rounded shell on top with flatter ventral (under) side.

Draw long tail from grafting stitches into the ladybug head, come out in middle back of bug. Form a straight line down to the end of the shell.

Spots: Embroider spots with French knots, following pattern of ladybugs. I made a 13-spotted ladybug in the sequence of 2:4:4:3, but you can make any pattern you’d like.

Antennae: Draw yarn out to left front of head and back around 1 stitch to create a loop. Hand-chain 5 stitches tightly to create antennae, loop yarn three times through last loop and pull tightly. With needle, thread tail down through chained stitches and back into head. Repeat on the right front side of head.

Legs: Make six legs in the same manner as antennae. Front legs are placed right at the join between red and black, chaining 7 stitches long. Middle legs are 9 stitches long. Back legs are 12 stitches long, and point to the back instead of front.

Face: With white, embroider pattern on thorax (black part of body), following photos.

Finishing:

With the stem, form a loop and position ladybug on loop. Sew tips of legs to the stem, the two front right legs to the loop, the back left leg to the bottom of the stem, and the top left leg to the top of the stem if needed. The key with positioning the ladybug is to make sure you don’t twist the stem. Hold the pacifier clip up to check that the clip hangs straight. Sew the stem down to the middle of the body of the ladybug.

Attach button to the back side of the garter-stitch portion of the clip. Button clip around pacifier, and you’re finished! Clip to your favorite baby and let them go!