Ribbed Knit Skull Cap

This past weekend we had three of our grandchildren stay with us.  The 5 year old, who I made playdough with in the previous post http://www.thecabincountess.com/2014/02/playdough-project-with-jack.html, is always asking me to make him something.  He thinks I can just wiggle my nose and items appear.  He asked me for a hat, fingerless mittens like his mother has and a stuffed animal.  I sat down and made this hat.

He tried it on and it was too big.  Because it was a little big,  I gave it to my dad.  Dad wears a hat to keep his sinuses warm at night.  This one is perfect for that.  It is very stretchy so it isn't too tight, but it is just warm enough.  Dad also wears some fingerless gloves I made for him.  He says it has almost cured his carpal tunnel symptoms by keeping his wrists warm.  It is quite a sight to see him get ready for bed.   http://www.thecabincountess.com/2014/02/another-fingerless-mitt-pattern.html

Fingerless Gloves

Ribbed Adult Hat (Charcoal Gray shown above)

Cast 120 stitches on a size 6 knitting needle.  I use a twelve inch circular needle, but three double pointed needles would work as well.   Be careful not to twist the cast on stitches.  Begin knitting Knit 2, Purl 2 around and around until the piece is 7 1/2 inches.

Then begin decreases.

Round 1:   Knit 2, purl the two purl stitches together,  for entire first round. (90 stitches remaining)
Round 2:   Knit 2, purl 1,  around.
Round 3:   Knit 1, knit 2 together around (60 stitches remaining)
Round 4:   Knit around.
Round 5:   Knit 2 together around (30 stitches remaining)
Round 6:   Knit around.
Round 7:   Knit 2 together around (15 stitches remaining)
Weave yarn through remaining stitches, pull tight and tie off.

You may have to switch to double pointed needles for the decrease rounds when there are not enough stitches on the circular needles.

For the young child's version just cast on 100 stitches and knit around to 6 or 6 1/2 inches.
Decrease in the same manner except you will have 75 stitches after 1st decrease round, 50 stitches after 3rd round, 25 after round 5 and finish with 12 stitches.

Kid's version of Hat

He insisted on rainbow colors and was too busy playing a videos game to pose.