Happy Birthday Mom!

It's been 2 1/2 years since you went to Heaven and I miss you and think about you every day. You'd be so proud of your granddaughter. She is growing up to be a beautiful young lady. I love you Mom.

Big Comfy Hat

I love to make hats, but the biggest problem I have had with each pattern I've tried is how short the hats are. I want a hat that will cover my ears. A hat that will stay over my ears and a hat that will cover the back of my head. I bought patterns after patterns after patterns and tried each of them - same problem. I finally decided to make up my own pattern. I hope you enjoy it. It's pretty basic, and pretty traditional, but it's pretty and warm!

This hat is an adult size hat. It's loose enough for a man to wear, but tight enough for a woman. Make sense?

Materials needed:

Size 10 circular needles (16 inch) and

Size 10 double pointed needles

1 stitch marker

Tapestry needle

2 skeins or 120 yds. Bulky (or #5) yarn - I made this hat with Deborah Norville Serentiy

Gauge: 4 stitches per inch

To begin:

CO 68 stitches onto your circ. needles

For the next 3 inches, K2 P2 for the ribbing.

After you have knit 3 inches, you are ready to begin the body of the hat. From this point on it will be all knit stitches, no purl stitches.

Cast on 4 additional stitches. I usually place my stitches at 3, 6, 9, and 12 (face of a clock). I do m1fb. The stitches blend better into the pattern. You should have 72 stitches on your needles.

From this point on, you will continue knitting until you have 5 inches from where you started knit only. So, you will have a total of 8 inches from the edge of the hat. Next, you will start your reduction in stitches.

When it gets too tight to use your circular needles, switch to your dpn's.

Decrease as follows:

Decr round 1: *k6, k2tog* for 8 times. You will end up with 56 stitches.

Knit the next two rounds.

Decr round 2: *k5, k2tog* for 8 times. You will end up with 48 stitches.

Knit the next two rounds

Decr round 3: *k4, k2tog* for 8 times. You will end up with 40 stitches

Knit the next two rounds

Decr round 4: *k3, k2tog* for 8 times. You will end up with 32 stitches

Decr round 5: *k2, k2tog* for 8 times. You will end up with 24 stitches

Decr round 6: *k2, k2tog* for 8 times. You will end up with 16 stitches

Decr round 7: *k1, k2tog* for 8 times. You will end up with 16 stitches

Decr round 8: k2tog for 8 times. You will have 8 stitches

Cut your yarn end and with your tapestry needle run the end thru the last 8 stitches, one at a time. When you have gone thru all the stitches, pull your yarn snuggly, thread the yarn thru the top of your hat to bring it to the inside. Weave in your ends and if possible tie off and hide your ends. Snip ends, weave in all other ends. and you're finished!