Dragon Baby Hat

I was inspired by Alice Yu's Shur'tugal sock pattern to make a baby hat using that gorgeous stitch. I found it very appropriate for all the babies born this year, the year of the Black Dragon. According to the Chinese horoscope, it is an especially lucky year to be born.

I did not consider the fact that the socks are knit top-down and the hat is knit bottom-up, making the stitch upside-down. I really like the result anyway.

Dragon Baby Hat

This will fit 6 months. Arthur is 15 weeks in the picture and the hat is big on him. It is a simple 8-stitch repeat, so can easily be modded for different sizes.

Materials: 4.0mm DPNs, approximately 80 yards DK weight yarn (sample knit in J. Knits Charming in the Missouri colorway)

Gauge: 3 repeats of Wickerwork pattern = 4 inches. It's a very stretchy stitch, so is a bit forgiving if gauge is slightly off.

Notes:
2x2 twisted rib - knit 2 stitches through the back loop, purl 2 stitches

Right Twist - K2tog, keeping stitches on left needle. Knit the first stitch again, dropping both stitches from the needle.

Left Twist - Slip the next 2 stitches knitwise (separately, not together). Place both stitches back on the left needle as they are (twisted). Knit second stitch through the back loop, keeping the stitch on the left needle, then knit both stitches through the back loop, dropping both stitches from the needle.

Wickerwork pattern (8 sts)

Rnd 1: *k1, p2, k2, p2, k1; repeat from * 10 times
Rnd 2: *k1, p1, Right Twist, Left Twist, p1, k1; repeat around
Rnd 3: *k1, p1, k1, p2, k1, p1, k1; repeat around
Rnd 4: *k1, Right Twist, p2, Left Twist, k1; repeat around
Rnd 5: *k2, p4, k2; repeat around
Rnd 6: knit around
Rnd 7: *k1, p2, k2, p2, k1; repeat around
Rnd 8: *Left Twist, p1, k2, p1, Right Twist; repeat around
Rnd 9: *p1, k1, p1, k2, p1, k1, p1; repeat around
Rnd 10: *p1, Left Twist, k2, Right Twise, p1; repeat around
Rnd 11: *p2, k4, p2; repeat around
Rnd 12: knit around


Pattern

Cast on 80 sts. Distribute stitches evenly over 4 DPNs, join to knit in the round.

Work 5 rounds as such: k1 tbl, p2, work 2x2 twisted rib to last stitch, k1 tbl


Work 2 repeats of Wickerwork pattern, then rounds 1-6 once more. This should put you approximately 4.25 inches from the cast-on edge when the hat is laid flat. This fits my 6 month old perfectly... for longer use, do a few knit rounds to add a bit more height.

*k6, k2tog, ssk, k6; repeat around

knit around

*k5, k2tog, ssk, k5; repeat around

knit around

*k4, k2tog, ssk, k4; repeat around

knit around

*k3, k2tog, ssk, k3; repeat around

knit around

*k2, k2tog, ssk, k2; repeat around

knit around

*k1, k2tog, ssk, k1; repeat around

*k2tog, ssk; repeat around

Break yarn, draw tail through remaining stitches, pull tight, weave in ends.