New pattern: Chicago Hat

This is called Chicago hat because the majority of it was made on my most recent trip to the Windy City. It is a quick and easy knit with a broken rib pattern, and an i-cord tail on top.

MATERIALS:
2 skeins fingering weight yarn in contrasting colors
(I used Baa Ram Ewe Titus in Aire and Classic Elite Mohawk in 3306 Oatmeal)
16″ circular needles in sizes 4 (3.5 mm) and 6 (4.0 mm)
double pointed needles in size 6 (4.0 mm)
tapestry needle
stitch marker

PATTERN:
With smaller needles, CO 110 sts using both strands of yarn together
Begin 1×1 rib : *p1, k1 around
Repeat until hat measures 2″

Switch to larger needles and work in a broken rib pattern:
Row 1: k all sts
Row 2: *p1, k1 around

Repeat these 2 rows until hat measures 6.5″ ending with row 2

Decrease rows:
Row 1:   *k8, k2tog around
Row 2:   *p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k2 around
Row 3:   *k7, k2tog around
Row 4:   *p1, k1 around
Row 5:   *k6, k2tog around
Row 6:   *p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k2 around
Row 7:   *k5, k2tog around
Row 8:   *p1, k1 around
Row 9:   *k4, k2tog around
Row 10: *p1, k1, p1, k2 around
Rpw 11: *k3, k2tog around
Row 12: *p1, k1, k2tog around
Row 13: *k1, k2tog around
Row 14: *k2tog around
Row 15: *k2tog around
Row 16: *k2tog around

You should now have only 3 sts left. Make 1/2″ i-cord tail on top of hat, then knot and fold downward to create small loop. Bring end through to inside and weave in ends with tapestry needle.

les chaussettes de papa

So my dad is the kind of dad who assumes that everything I’m knitting is being made for him. But this time, it was for him. He turned 52, and I decided to make him some thick socks for hiking. I hope yours enjoys them as much as mine did!

Materials:
Size 4 dpns
Supersocke worsted weight yarn (you could also use Opal Snowflake XL)
Tapestry needle

CO 56 sts
Join in the round on dpns and work (k2, p2) rib pattern for 8″

HEEL
You may need to move some sts around so that the counts are correct:
Needle 1: 26 sts
Needle 2: 15 sts
Needle 3: 15 sts

Using the first 26 sts of the row, work in (sl1, k1) on the RS and (sl1, p to end) on the WS
Repeat these two rows for a total of 27 rows, ending with a RS row

SHORT ROWS
On the WS
p15, p2tog, p1, turn
sl1, k7, k2tog, k1, turn
sl1, p8, p2tog, p1, turn
sl1, k9, k2tog, k1, turn
sl1, p10, p2tog, p1, turn
sl1, k11, k2tog, k1, turn
sl1, p12, p2tog, p1, turn
sl1, k13, k2tog, k1, turn
sl1, p14, p2tog
sl1, k14, k2tog

GUSSET
Along the side of the heel (needle 1), pu & k 14 sts, then continue in rib pattern
(There should be the 14 pu sts, plus 15 ribbed sts on needle 2)
Do the same along the other side of the heel
(There will be 15 ribbed sts, then pu & k 14 again on needle 3)

It may be helpful to place stitch markers in between the 14 pu sts and the 15 ribbed sts.

Rnd 1
Needle 1: knit
Needle 2: k until 3 before marker, k2tog, k1, work rib pattern for rest of needle
Needle 3: work rib pattern until marker (15 sts), k1, ssk, k until end of needle

Rnd 2
Knit all sts

**Repeat these two rows until you are back to 56 sts

Work continued pattern (k between markers including heel, rib on top of sock) until 1 1/2″ before the end of foot.
In this case, I knit 10″ before decreasing for the toe because my dad wears a size 12 shoe.

TOE (Grab an extra needle for this part)
Needle 1: 14 sts (This will be the second half of the sts on needle 1)
Needle 2: 14 sts
Needle 3: 14 sts
Needle 4: 14 sts (This will be the first half of the sts on needle 1)

Rnd 1
Needle 1: k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1
Needle 2: k1, ssk, k to end of needle
Needle 3: k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1
Needle 4: k1, ssk, k to end of needle

Rnd 2
Knit all sts

**Repeat these two rows until 24 sts remain
Complete sock using kitchener st.
Weave in ends.