our yearly focus on charity knitting
For the charity-focus KAL as part of this year’s Beyond BOBBOL 2015, everyone gets the project pattern for free! Come join us to knit Flowered Crown Preemie Hat.
This pretty baby hat is knit in the round for the most part in a simple k1, p1 ribbing. And then its plainness is topped off with a “flower” design incorporated in the decreases for the crown shaping. I hope you will enjoy knitting this project for your favorite baby charities and baby-gifting occasions.
Flowered Crown Baby Hat
Note: Flowered Crown Preemie Hat is sized for premature babies, but you can easily upsize it for newborns (or larger) by adding pattern repeats or making with thicker yarn on larger size needles.
Construction: Knitted in one piece in-the-round beginning at the hat brim. No seams to sew.
Skills needed: casting on, knitting in-the-round, knit, purl, ssk, k2tog
Learn-Then-Do featured techniques: Twist 2 right; Twist 2 left. These are 1-over-1 cables made without using a cable needle. See the Abbreviations section for step-by-step instructions. Of course, you can substitute a simple 1-over-1 cable using a cable needle if you prefer.
Yarn and Needles
- approximately 6o yards fingering weight acrylic baby yarn or cotton blend that is machine washable AND dry-able
- Size 3 US (3.25 mm) needles suggested; your choice of double-point or circular needles for knitting in-the-round
Tip: If you already have a favorite number of stitches to use for making charity baby hats with your preferred yarn weight and needle size, adjust the pattern to the closest multiple of 6 stitches. You may need more (or less yarn) if adjusting size and yarn weight.
Abbreviations
eor – end of round
k – knit
k2tog – knit 2 stitches together (makes a right-slanting decrease)
p – purl
rep from * – repeat all instructions from the previous asterisk through to the semi-colon
rnd – round
ssk – slip 1 stitch as if to knit, and then slip another stitch as if to knit; insert left-hand needle into the 2 slipped stitches from left to right and knit these 2 stitches together (makes a left-slanting decrease)
st(s) – stitch(es)
tw2L – twist 2 stitches left: with yarn in back and skipping behind the first st, k 2nd st through back loop leaving both the first and 2nd sts on the left-hand needle; then k the first stitch (i.e. the st that was skipped); now remove both sts from left-hand needle (this results in one st crossing to the left in front of the other st)
tw2R – twist 2 stitches right: k2tog leaving both the first and 2nd sts on the left-hand needle; then insert right-hand needle between the 2 sts just knitted together and k the first stitch again; now remove both sts from left-hand needle (this results in one st crossing to the right in front of the other st)
Instructions
Cast on 60 sts loosely. (Tips for casting on loosely.)
Join into a round, being careful not to twist sts. Mark the join as the end of round.
Work 1.5″ of ribbing as follows: * k1, p1; rep from * to eor.
Turn-back ridge for the brim: k to eor.
Continue in k1, p1 ribbing until 3.5″ from turn-back ridge of brim.
Decrease for crown –
Rnd 1: * k2, tw2L, k2; rep from * to eor.
Rnd 2: k to eor.
Rnd 3: * k1, tw2R, tw2L, k1; rep from * to eor.
Rnd 4: * k2, p2, k2; rep from * to eor.
Rnd 5: * tw2R, p2, tw2L; rep from * to eor.
Rnd 6: * k1, p4, k1; rep from * to eor.
Rnd 7: * k1 p4, k1; rep from * to eor.
Rnd 8: * ssk, p2, k2tog; rep from * to eor. (40 sts)
Rnd 9: * k1, p2, k1; rep from * to eor.
Rnd 10: * ssk, k2tog; rep from * to eor. (20 sts)
Rnd 11: k to eor.
Rnd 12: * k2tog; rep from * to eor. (10 sts)
Cut yarn and thread through remaining sts. Pull snuggly, then bring yarn to inside and fasten off. Finish off cast on yarn tail, weaving end into wrong side of turned up outer brim.
Tip: For a tidy, snug closing at the top of the hat, you might like to try out the Gathered Woven Closure technique
Other On-site Charity Knitting Resources
Where Can I Donate Handmade Baby Items
2014: Elegantly Simple Baby Blanket
HeartStrings FiberArts
Knitting Bits of Lace on Facebook
Ravelry Store
Jackie , I was wondering why I haven’t heard from your site. I hope all is well your way.
Pauline
Hi, Jackie! I enjoyed knitting this pretty little hat. Even in DK on 3s I think it’s a suitable size for preemies (about 10.5″ around). My photos are up on Ravelry at http://www.ravelry.com/projects/TiaJudy/flowered-crown-preemie-hat and of course you’re welcome to use them!
Jackie, I just finished a little pink hat. I didn’t do a fold back section but I did knit 3.5″ in 1×1 ribbing and then started the crown decreases. I didn’t think a fold back section would be needed for preemie angels, though preemies needing warmth would. Couple of questions:
Round 9 – should that be *k1, p2, k1 and repeat from * to eor — instead of k1, p2, p1? (That’s what I did, so if it’s wrong, I’ll do another hat.)
I really liked the gathered woven closure and used that on this one. I had already tried it on a previous preemie hat (60 sts, a little bit of 1×1 ribbing, then stockinette to the crown decreases).
Also, a length of 3.5″ seems too long for the width — and allows for a fold up anyhow. Measurements (unstretched) — 3″ across (so 6″ diameter), 3.5″ ribbing before crown decreases, crown total height about 1″
I’ll have a photo on my preemie hat project page on Ravelry when DH gets home — Monday evening after he recovers from his late night arrival Sunday and gets home from work. I stuffed the hat with a plastic bag (one of DH’s bags that the laundry puts his shirts in after pressing them) for some of the photos.
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/sjanova/flowered-crown-preemie-hat
It’s sad to think about preemie angels, but of course I agree that the fold-back brim would not be needed for warmth. Your knitting for the angels is indeed heart-giving.
Yes, Round 9 should be *k1, p2, k1 and repeat from * to eor.
Thank you for pointing out that typo. Sorry about that! I’ve corrected the web page.
I took the measurements from an actual commercial preemie hats that was distributed by the hospital to mother of preemie baby. It did seem somewhat longer than normally normal hat proportions, but the reason I was given was to allow for tubes. Also, remember that when the hat is stretched out it loses some of its length. The rounds of the crown fill in the top of the 3-dimensional hat shape (i.e. as if worn), so they don’t actually add very much extra hat length (compared to if just measured flat). Does that make sense?
Looking forward to seeing the photos of your little pink hat! Thanks Susan.
Photos are up now. It’s such a cute little hat! I definitely will knit more like this one.
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/sjanova/flowered-crown-preemie-hat
I hadn’t thought about tubes and I guess they do use that area sometimes. Some preemie hats are constructed with an open top that can be closed with a drawstring, and I think that’s the reason for it.
Generally, I just eyeball the proportions but I haven’t been knitting ribbed hats recently and that makes a really big difference, of course.
Thank you so much for your annual charity knitting project. I should knit a few more like the one you shared last year — that was really cute, also.
Sharon, I was just able to get the content. Did you log in? I always have to remember to log in even though I’m at the site with the link — that doesn’t necessarily mean I’ve logged in.
Jackie, this is perfect. I make preemie hats starting with 60 sts and then smaller sizes going down by 6 sts each time (all the way down to 30 sts), so this will be perfect for all the sizes. Thank you so much for adding this extra fanciness to the preemie hats.
I can’t get t he pattern for the flowered premie cap because the website says I don’t have permission to view the content or remarks, even though the email link takes me to the wwebsite and my account is still active.