Knit Flix

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Pattern: Newborn (Preemie) Hat



7/15/08 update: Pattern details on Ravelry
10/27/2007 update: Added 13" hat instructions.
12/09/2007 update: Decrease description changed to "spiral".

Description:
The hat is worked in stockinette st with a spiral decrease and a turned up ribbed cuff.

The 10" size is small enough to fit newborns in developing countries--consider it a preemie hat.

If you are knitting for Caps to the Capital, make the 10" hat and follow the guidelines in their Action Kit (PDF download) and use a smooth, washable yarn.

Materials:
Approx 17 (23) gms sock weight yarn
Set of five 3.0mm DPNs or size needed to obtain gauge
Waste yarn for tubular cast on (optional)

Size: 10" (13") circumference

Gauge: 8sts/inch in stockinette

I like a Tubular Cast On for a stretchy edge and have included instructions below.

If you'd rather use a different cast on method:
CO 80 (104) sts, join in the round and proceed to the instructions for the Cuff.

Tubular Cast On
Using waste yarn, cast on 41 (53) sts onto one needle.
Row 1: Using the project yarn, *k1, yo* repeat between *'s until 1 st remains, k1. Turn. 81 (105) sts
Row 2: p1, k1, *sl1wyif, k1*, repeat between *'s until 1 st remains, p1. Turn. 81 (105) sts

The cuff will now be divided onto 4 DPNs and joined in the round.
Round 1: *k1, sl1wyif* 10 (13) times. 20 (26) sts on Needle 1.
Onto an empty needle, *k1, sl1wyif* 10 (13) times. 20 (26) sts on Needle 2. Repeat for Needles 3 & 4.

Transfer the one remaining st from the last needle in the round onto the Needle 1, making it the first stitch of the round. 21 (27) sts on Needle 1; 20 (26) sts on Needles 2, 3, & 4.

Round 2: Make sure the round is not twisted. K2tog to join in the round, p1, *sl1wyib, p1* repeat between *'s around; 80 (104) sts total.
Round 3: *K1, sl1wyif* repeat between *'s around.
Round 4: K1, p1, *sl1wyib, p1* repeat between *'s around.
Remove the waste yarn.

Cuff
80 (104) sts total.
*K1, p1* repeat between the *'s until the cuff measures 1-1/2" from the cast on edge.
Note: I like the cuff in a k2, p2 rib for the larger size.

Hat
Knit all rounds until the hat measures 5" (5-1/4") from the cast on edge.


Crown decreases
Round 1: *K8 (11), k2tog* around, 72 (96) sts.
Round 2: Knit all sts.
Round 3: *K7 (10), k2tog* around, 64 (88) sts.
Round 4: Knit all sts.
Round 5: *K6 (9), k2tog* around, 56 (80) sts.
Round 6: Knit all sts.
Continue decreasing every other round in this manner until there are 48 sts total.
Decrease every round until 8 sts remain. Cut yarn and pass the end through all 8 sts. Weave in the ends and turn up the cuff.

Abbreviations
k: knit
p: purl
k2tog: knit 2 stitches together
sl1wyif: slip 1 st purlwise with yarn in front
sl1wyib: slip 1 st purlwise with yarn in back
st: stitch

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posted by Bogie at 6:32 PM

8 Comments:

  • Thanks so much for working this pattern out, Janice! You saved me the time. Also, I finally learned tubular CO, thanks again to you!

    By Blogger Jen Hagan, at 9/13/2006 7:10 AM  

  • Hi,
    I just completed this newborn hat for my grandson,due this fall and I loved your directions for the tubular cast on. They were very easy to understand and it is so nice and stretchy.
    Question--I'm a fairly new knitter. I would like to make another one of these hats out of a worsted weight. Have you done it in something that heavy? Thanks so much!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4/27/2008 4:56 PM  

  • Hi Anonymous,
    Glad you like the cast on and the pattern. I haven't made it in a thicker yarn, but it's a pretty basic pattern. You can figure out how many sts you should cast on by making a gauge swatch and multiplying the # sts/inch by the desired circumference. You can also find worsted & sport weight patterns for smaller-than-preemie babies on the SaveTheChildren.org web site. http://www.savethechildren.org/publications/capstothecapital-kit11.pdf

    By Blogger Bogie, at 4/27/2008 7:24 PM  

  • This comment has been removed by the author.

    By Blogger Anne O'Nymous, at 12/20/2009 5:57 PM  

  • I am making this now (only about 1/2" into the ribbing) for the new preemie baby of a woman I go to recovery meetings with. She has very little, but when her son gets out of the hospital, he will have one fabulous hat--- among the other things that my compulsive self is likely to churn out over the next few weeks. I make hats all the time, but I wasn't sure about proportions for A. sock yarn and 2. (:}) preemie size. Thanks very much!

    By Blogger Anne O'Nymous, at 12/20/2009 5:59 PM  

  • The pattern is sized for Preemies (10") and Newborns (13"). The gauge is 8 sts per inch worked in stockinette.

    From the pattern:
    Size: 10" (13") circumference
    Gauge: 8sts/inch in stockinette

    By Blogger Bogie, at 12/20/2009 6:15 PM  

  • I think this is one of the best hats that I saw today. I like the design and the color is just so perfect. I like it so much.

    By Anonymous preemie parents, at 3/31/2011 11:00 PM  

  • When removing the waste yarn, do we leave the tail it was tied to?
    Or pull it out too?

    By Blogger Laura, at 2/14/2021 12:06 PM  

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