Blooming Spring Hat

Projects that have crochet and knitting together can blossom into beautiful things, like this Blooming Spring Hat from Lindsay Obermeyer.  Who doesn't love colorful spring hats?  With flowers and leaves topping this beanie, you'll be in the spirit of spring in no time!

Materials:

• 1 Skein Manos (or other worsted weight yarn) in color #70
• Assorted bits of pink, red and green yarn from previous projects
• 1 16” #9 Circular needle
• 1 Set of #9 double points (you could do the whole project on double points)
• 1 G crochet hook (or size to match assorted bits of pink and red)
• 1 Set of straight knitting needles in size to work the green leaves
• 1 Tapestry needle
• Stitch markers
• Scissors

Instructions:

Gauge:

• 4 stitches to the inch
   
• 6 rows to the inch
   
• On #9 needle using Manos
   

Directions for Hat:

1. Cast on 80 stitches and join circle.
    
2. Add a stitch marker to mark beginning and end of round.
    
3. Work in Garter Stitch for first inch. Remember that Garter in the round is - *K a round, purl a round* repeat from * to * for one inch.
    
4. Switch to Stockinette Stitch and continue for 4 more inches. In the round, this means you are just knitting.
    
5. On final round of the body, place stitch markers every 10 sts.
    
6. Decrease round is worked as a K2tog after every stitch marker.
    
7. Knit the next round. You will continue working a decrease round and then knitting a round until you have only 8 stitches left. At some point, around 40 stitches, you will want to switch to double pointed needles as the crown of the hat is too small to continue working on a circular needle.
    
8. With 8 stitches left, cut a long tail and pull it through the remaining stitches. Pull firmly and weave in all tails.
    

Directions for Flowers:

1. Chain 21 stitches. Leave a long tail.
    
2. Turn, skip 2 sts.
    
3. Double crochet 3 times in the next stitch.
    
4. Continue working a DC 3 times in each stitch. The piece will begin to form a corkscrew.
    
5. When only 5 stitches remain, work a DC in the next stitch and the rest in a half double crochet. Bind off.
    
6. Leave a long tail.
    

Directions for Leaves (you will be working the leaves in Garter Stitch):

1. Cast on 1 stitch. Leave a long tail.
    
2. Work an increase – 2 stitches.
    
3. Work an increase in both stitches – 4 stitches.
    
4. Work an increase in the end stitches – 6 stitches.
    
5. Knit for 3 rows.
    
6. Work an SSK (slip, slip, knit) on the right side and a K2tog on the left – 4 stitches.
    
7. Work an SSK (slip, slip, knit) on the right side and a K2tog on the left – 2 stitches.
    
8. K2tog. Cut tail and pull through final stitch. Work in this tail, but leave the other.
    

Finishing:

1. Open up the first corkscrew / flower. Use one of the tails and stitch the corkscrew into a spiral / rosette formation onto the crown of the hat. Bring tail to back of work (hat crown) and tie to first tail. Work in ends.
    
2. Continue until all “flowers” are attached.
    
3. Sew on leaves where needed visually. Work in tails.

Click here to view on Lindsay's blog.