This is a hat pattern I designed years ago for a friend of my husband at the time, and I only just found the notes among my dusty knitting files. I thought I'd put it on the blog in case anybody wants to make it. (I know it's still summer, but I always have to start winter stuff early because I'll never get it done if I wait till I'm in the clutch....)
The history of this pattern is that the man who asked me to design the hat was an AA buddy (not the man pictured), and he asked me to design the hat in just "a certain way" --- and then he described this style hat. He dictated exactly how he wanted the hat, down to the detail of the big pom-pon hanging from that long chain. He knew I knitted because I sometimes took my knitting to AA meetings in that town. (It was Austin, Texas.) He was a biker man (a friend of my own biker man) and a bunch of us lived on a biker compound where there was a motorcycle repair shop. Anyhoo, the words he used when he asked me to design the hat was one that looked like (in his words) a "Chilly Willy" hat--- extremely long with a pom-pon hanging on a long chain.
I was afraid to design something from scratch for him because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to meet his specifications. (You know how it is when you're knitting something to somebody else's specifications--it can be nerve-wracking to try and get it to where they like it---or, if you're lucky, to love it.)
I chose to make this hat out of acrylic yarn because he said he wanted to be able to throw it in the washing machine and dryer. But it could be made out of any worsted weight yarn. I have always wondered what hand-painted yarn would look like done in this design.
To make a long story short, he totally loved the dang hat and wore it to tatters. He is the one who came up with the label the "flying hat" because liked for the hat's tail to "fly behind him" when he rode his Harley motorcycle. (My own biker man didn't want a hat--- he wanted black socks with flames coming from the toes, which I made him, but I can't find that particular pattern---I probably wrote the notes on Post-its and they're lost now.)
Anyway, I hope I've written the pattern easy to understand. If you find an error, please feel free to email me.
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Bo's Flying Alpine Hat
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Materials:
29" Circular Knitting Needle, size 7 US (or whatever size needed to obtain gauge);
4 double-pointed knitting needles, size 7 US;
Worsted Weight Yarn, approximate 10 oz each of 2 colors-- Color A and Color B, pictured in Black (A) & White (B);
(Optional: may use as many colors for striped combinations as you prefer~or knit in a solid color if you like);
1 stitch marker;
Yarn needle;
Crochet Hook;
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Gauge:
In Stockinette stitch, 8 stitches to 2 inches and 11 rows to 2 inches.
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Size:
Adult, one size-fits-all.
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Abbreviations:
Dec = decrease;
Knit even = knit plain without any decreasing;
In Color A, cast on 68 loosely. Being careful not to twist cast-on stitches, do one round of Kl, PI ribbing. Then place switch marker to mark beginning of round. Continue in Kl, PI ribbing. Knit ribbing for 3 inches (or longer if you prefer a larger forehead cuff to turn up).
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Head Section (tapering down to end point):
Switch to stockinette stitch (in circular knitting, knit every round).
Next round: Attach Color B and knit 10 rows even.
Next round: Attach Color A and knit 10 rows even.
Repeat the above 2 rows once more.
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NOTE: From this point on, as you alternate colors A & B every 10 rounds, each 10 rows of a particular color will be called a "panel". When the directions say to "knit the next panel even", simply knit 10 rounds even with no decreasing.
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Decrease Rounds:
Switch to double-pointed needles, making sure to replace stitch marker at the beginning of the round. Be sure to continue alternating from Color A to Color B in the appropriate sequence for each panel.
Next panel: Switch colors to the next appropriate panel color, then dec 4 stitches evenly across the first round.
Next 9 rounds of this panel: Knit even.
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Next two (2) panels: Knit even.
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Next Panel: 1 st round: Dec 4 stitches evenly spaced across round.
Knit next 9 rounds even.
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Next panel: Knit even.
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Next 2 (two) panels: 1st round: Dec 4 stitches evenly across.
Knit next 9 rounds even.
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Next 3 (three) panels: Knit plain.
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Next panel: 1st round: Dec 4 stitches evenly across.
Knit next 9 rounds even.
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Next panel: 1st round: Dec 4 stitches evenly across.
2nd through 3rd rounds: Knit even.
5th through 10th rounds: Knit even.
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Next panel: 1st round: Dec 4 stitches evenly across.
2nd through 4th round: Knit plain.
5th round: Dec 1 stitch on each of the three double-pointed needles.
6th through 10th rounds: Knit plain.
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Next panel: 1st round: Dec 4 stitches evenly across.
2nd through 6th round: Knit plain.
7th round: Dec 1 stitch on each of the three double-pointed needles.
8th through 10th rounds: Knit plain.
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Next panel:
1st round: Dec 4 stitches even across.
2nd through 3rd rounds: Knit plain.
4th round: Dec 1 stitch on each of the three double-pointed needles.
5th round: Knit plain.
6th round: Dec 1 stitch on each of the three double-pointed needles.
7th round: Knit plain.
8th round: Dec 1 stitch on each of the three double-pointed needles.
9th and 10th rounds: Knit plain.
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Finishing:
Leaving stitches on needles, cut yarn leaving a long tail of about 15 inches. Thread yarn end through a yarn needle. Then thread needle through each of the remaining stitches on the needles. Pull knitting off of the needles and gather stitches tightly with yarn tail, closing the circle into a point. Using a crochet hook, pull tail to wrong side (inside of the hat) and pull tail through 2 or 3 stitches on the very point, then tie into a knot on the inside to secure it closed.
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Make Pom-Pon:
Cut a piece of cardboard (or use a book approximately 5 inches wide, laying a piece of yarn approximately 10 inches long across the top. Wrap desired color of yarn for pom-pon around this cardboard (or book), making sure the top of the wrapped rounds are over the piece of yarn. When the desired fullness of the pom-pon is reached, DO NOT remove the wrapped yarn yet. First, take the piece of yam wrapped under the top of the pom-pon and tie it into a knot, gathering the top of the pon-pom as tightly as possible. Then, carefully cut the bottom of the wrapped pom-pon, releasing it from the cardboard or book. Shape by shaking pom-pon into a ball shape, and trim bottom edges to make even.
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Attaching Pom-Pon with chain to bottom point of hat:
Using a crochet hook, attach same color of yarn as the bottom panel of hat to the end pont of the hat, then crochet a chain of desired length for how long you want the pom-pon to hang from the end of the hat. (Pull end of attached knot into the inside of hat to hide.) Then tie the pom-pon onto the end of this chain, pulling the ends of the knot into the pom-pon to camouflage within the ends of the pom-pon.
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NOTE: If you do not know how to crochet a chain, simply make a chain this way:
Using size 7 double pointed needles: Cast on 4 stitches. *(Knit 4, do not turn work. Slide stitches to right end of needle. Pull yarn around back of the stitches to tighten. Repeat from * for desired length. Bind off all of the stitches when desired length is reached.
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