Four Cornered Round Hat

This silly beret style hat is inspired by the knitting technique used for the dizzy dishcloth to knit a square in the round. The colors spiral outward from the center, but this time the yarn overs are knit twisted so there are no holes and it is done in stockinette instead of garter. Twisting the stitch does tighten up the increase rows, so one less row in the middle is needed. The square created this way was not quite as flat, but still fairly flat. When I was searching for a bind off technique I liked, it occurred to me that it would have been easier to knit from the brim instead of the top.

Yarn: Lily Sugar'n Cream. About 1 skein each of sage green (solids) and landscape (stripes) colorways or pick your own colors.
Needles: #6 (4mm) 29" circular needle.
Also needs a tapestry needle at the very end.

Gauge: 20 stitches per 4", but not particularly important.

Abbreviations: K = knit, P = purl, YO = yarn over, K2tg = knit 2 together, SSK = slip 2 (as if to purl), pass them back and knit them together. CA = solid color, CC = contrasting (stripes) color, PM = place marker. The YO are always knitted with a twist: Krt = knit with a right twist, Klt = knit with a left twist.

Pattern:
This is done generally as a magic loop on the circular needle. Cast on 4 stitches of CA then 4 more of CC. This cast on will be unraveled at the end. With CC on the cable, K2 of CC into CA, PM, K2, PM. Move the CC cast on to the needle and the stitches just done to the cable, K2 of CA into CC taking care not to leave a twist. PM, K2. The markers now mark the corners of the hat and a "side" is the space between markers.


Row 2: With CA, K1, YO, K1. Slip the markers as you come to them. K1, YO, K1. With CC, K1, YO, K1, K1, YO, K1.

Row 3: With CC, K1, Krt, K1, K1, Krt, K1 . With CA, K1, Krt, K1, K1, Krt, K1. The twist direction is not actually important on this row. For the right twist, you just knit into the back of the YO.

Row 4 and all even rows on the top of the hat: With CA, K1, YO, K until 1 stitch is left before the marker, YO, K1. Repeat for a second side. With CC, repeat for the last 2 sides.

Row 5 and all odd rows on the top of the hat: With CC, K1, Krt, K until 2 stitches are left before the marker, Klt, K1. Repeat for a second side. With CA, repeat for the last 2 sides.

Continue until finishing the odd row with 45 stitches. This finishes the top of the hat which should be about 9"x9".

Side row 1: P 2 sides with CA. P 2 sides with CC. Continue to carry the markers along.

Row 2-7: K 2 sides with the color on hand. Switch colors at the halfway point and K 2 more sides.

Row 8: P 2 sides with CC. P 2 sides with CA. This finishes the side.

Bottom row 1 and all odd rows while decreasing: With CA K1, K2tog, K until 2 stitches are left before the marker, SSK, K1. Repeat for a 2nd side. Repeat with CC for 2 more sides.

Row 2 and all even rows: With CC, K 2 sides. With CA K the 2 remaining sides.

Decrease until there are 25 stitches remaining on each side to fit a head about 22". K an additional 8 rows continuing to change colors at the middle point. Cut CC and K 8 more rows in CA.

Use a stretchy bind off. The second one on this page fits the character of the hat well but needs to be modified for the round. K1, then pass it back to the left needle. K1 into the same stitch. Now *K1, pass 2 stitches back, K2tog*. Repeat between the asterics until all the stitches are used. Cut the yarn and pull the last stitch through. Thread it around the 2nd stitch knitted in the bind off and back through where it had been. This makes the bind off a continuous loop.

At the top, undo the cast on and one row to leave 4 live loops of each color. Thread the ends through these loops and pull it somewhat tight. Weave in all the ends.


Tip: Eventually the work is large enough to knit in the round normally, but do not stop the magic loop working before its time. If the work is stretched on the needle when knitting in the round, it's not really big enough for that yet.