How to Knit a Striped Cap
Now that you've mastered the knit and purl stitch and made the required first scarf, you want a hat to go with it. But knitting in one color can get boring. Here's an easy striped hat you can knit flat without too much fuss. It's best to start with only two colors, though once you get the hang of carrying yarn up the sides of the piece, you can experiment with more.
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Things You'll Need
- 1 ball of worsted weight yarn in color A (about 150 yards)
- 1 ball of worsted weight yarn in color B (about 150 yards)
- #6 to #8 circular or straight needles
- Yarn needle
Instructions
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1
Check your gauge. While knitting worsted weight yarn on #6 to #8 needles generally yields about 4 to 5 stitches per inch, you want to be sure your striped hat fits.
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2
Multiply the number of stitches per inch by 22 inches so you know how many to cast on. At 4 stitches to an inch, for example, you'll need to cast on 88 stitches.
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3
Knit for 1 inch with color A. This will give you a roller brim edge, which is more modern and casual than a ribbed edging.
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4
Drop color A and knit 2 or 4 rows, depending on how thick you want your stripes, with color B. Take care to keep an even tension when knitting that first stitch with the new color.
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5
Let color B go and pick up color A. Knit 2 or 4 rows with color A.
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6
Shift between color B and color A until you have a piece that measures about 5 inches from the edge.
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7
Start decreasing for the crown by knitting the third and fourth stitches together. Then knit a row without decreasing any stitches.
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8
Repeat Step Seven and then knit every two stitches together. Knit the next row without decreasing any stitches.
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9
End the crown by knitting another row with every two stitches together and pulling the yarn through the remaining stitches.
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10
Sew the edges of your striped knit hat together with the yarn needle. Choose the color that's the least bright so the seam won't stick out.
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Tips & Warnings
Make the total number of stitches you cast on a multiple of 4.
Make sure you cast on loosely for your striped knit hat.
Don't tug at the yarn when changing colors to avoid puckering.
