Spiral Ribbed Hat

Spiral Ribbed Hat

"Because normal ribbed hats are boring."

**UPDATE -- I am so amazed and honored that SO MANY people have come to this page (almost 3,000 at this time), viewed my pattern, and actually USED it to make hats! I feel like a ROCK STAR!!! With so many people coming read this, if you come across any typos and ways that something could be explained more clearly, please leave a comment below. Happy knitting!!!**


Size: Adult female, about 22" around (more sizes coming someday ... if you want to figure out the math and just tell me, I'll give you a shout-out!)

Materials:
16" Size 6 circular needles
4x Size 6 double-pointed needles
About 140-160 yards (80-85) grams Worsted Weight yarn

Stitch marker

Gauge:
(gauge is measured over the brim rib, with the rib relaxed, NOT stretched).
6.5 Stitches = 1 inch
7 Rows = 1 inch

Terms:
Slant Left: Insert right needle into the second stitch on the left needle (this is "Stitch #1) BEHIND the first stitch (this is the "Slant Stitch"). Slip both Stitch #1 and the Slant Stitch off the needle. Slip the Slant Stitch back onto the left needle, then slip Stich #1 back into the left needle. Knit or purl that st (according to rib) and then knit the slant stitch. The stitches are now flipped, with the Slant Stitch passing in front of Stitch #1, and will look like a cable slanting to the left.

(That's right, I made a tutorial video. I'm bad-ass.)

SSK: Slip Slip Knit. Slip one stitch knit-wise, then slip the next st knit-wise. Insert left needle into the front loops of the slipped stitches and knit them together from through the back loops.

P2Tog: Purl 2 Together. Purl two stitches together as if they were a single stitch.

Instructions:
On circular needles, cast on 100 st (I like the Rib Cable Cast-On for ribbed hats). Place marker and join (be sure to not twist the stitches).

Rib [K1, P1] around for about 2.5 inches, or the desired length of brim. End last round at marker.

Set up for spiral:

K1, SSK, [p1, k1] for 9 st, *[k2, (p1, k1) for 9 st] rep from * around to marker (99 st).

Note: In every other set of 11 st, the ribbing will not match the previous ribbing. That's ok, because it will be hidden by the turned up brim.

Begin spiral:

K1, Slant Left, rib for 9 st (follow the rib established in the previous round), *[Slant left, rib for 9 st], repeat from * around, always following the rib from the previous round (which will change from k1p1 to p1k1 every other round.

Note: you will have to shift the marker to the left after a few rounds, as the spirals shift the beginning of the round to the left.

Continue pattern until hat measures about 6" from turn up, ending before one st before the first slant of a new round (the slant that changes from crossing a knit st to crossing a purl st).

Begin decrease:

Note: the decrease st will follow the rib pattern. We will decrease the st that crosses BEHIND the slant st, so the decrease will happen BEFORE the slant. Because decreasing stitches changes the rib pattern, AND because slanting changes the rib pattern, AND because we decrease every other round for hats, this decease is worked in sets of 4 rounds.

Decrease Round A:
(the previous round ended one st before the Slant Stitch)
Slip st knit-wise onto right needle (this is "Stitch #1")
Insert right needle into the second st (this is "Stitch #2) on the left needle BEHIND the Slant stitch. Slip both Stitch #2 and the Slant stitch off the needle. Slip the Slant Stitch back onto the left needle, but leave Stitch #2 on the right needle. Insert left needle into the front of Stitch #2 and Stitch #1 (both on the right needle), and k2tog through back loop. This acts like a SSK decrease (which slants left, along with our slant). 

Knit Slant stitch.
Continue rib until 1 st before next slant.
Repeat around, ending at first slant of next round.

Decrease Round B (no decrease):
Slant left, making sure to continue the rib established on the right needle (which is different from the rib established in the previous round; in this round, we PURL the stitch that was crossed over).

Continue rib until next slant. Repeat around, ending 1 st before the first slant of next round.

Decrease Round C:
Slip st purl-wise onto the right needle (this is "Stitch #1"). Insert right needle into the second st in the left needle (this is Stitch #2) BEHIND the slanted stitch. Slip both the Stitch #2 and the slanted stitch off the needle. Slip the slanted stitch back onto the left needle. Insert left needle into the back of Stitch #2 and Stitch #1 (both on the right needle), then p2tog.

Knit slanted st.
Continue rib until 1 st before next slant.
Repeat around, end at first slant of next round.

Decrease Round D (no decrease):

Slant left, making sure to continue the rib established on the right needle (in this round, we KNIT the stitch that was crossed over). This is the same as a normal Slant Left.

Continue rib until next slant. Repeat around, ending 1 st before the first slant of next round.

Repeat rows A, B, C, and D (make sure you keep track of which row you're on, in case you put it down and forget). Switch to double-pointed needles when there are too few stitches for the circular needles (about 54 st).

Repeat rows until there are 18 st left, ending at first slant of next round.
SSK around (9 st)

Cut yarn leaving a tail. Thread tail through remaining st and pull tight.

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Don't have time to knit this awesome hat? Want to just buy it? ;)

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Hope you enjoy! If you find any errors or typos, please leave a comment.

This original pattern is presented free of charge and is for person use only. 

Please do not sell anything made from this pattern.

Images and Text (C) 2014, Tough Love Knitters.