My knitted wool top hat

I was asked how I made my hat and I figured I should do a write up. It started when I found this site and a pattern for a tricorn hat:

http://knitlikeapirate.com/projects/tricorn.shtml

I recommend thoroughly reading that article site and getting comfortable with the process. I modified the plan itself but the overall procedure is the same for most of it. My directions will make a little more sense if you directly compare to those instruction as they are written slightly better.

So this may not be the best way, but it's how I did it. As well I've only been knitting for about a month and this is my 3^rd hat tried.

Start:

Cast on 108 placing stitch markers after 10, 10, 14, 10, 10, 10, 10, 14, 10, 10.

I number my markers 1-10 so that I know when I've made a complete round.

I then knit 14 rounds. The directions have alternating knits and purls for a bit but I found it posed no real difference and I don't like doing purls.

I'll use (M#) to indicate where my markers are

Round 15: k8, k2tog, (M1) k8, k2tog, (M2) k14, (M3) k2tog, k8, (M4) k2tog, k8, (M5) k8, k2tog, (M6) k8, k2tog, (M7) k14, (M8) k2tog, k8, (M9) k2tog, k8 (M10)

Round 16: knit

Hatband:

Round 17: Purl

Round 18: Knit

Crown:

Round 1: k3, k2tog, k2, k2tog, (M1) k3, k2tog, k2, k2tog, (M2), k3, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k3, kt2tog, (M3) k3, k2tog, k2, k2tog, (M4) k3, k2tog, k2, k2tog, (M5) k3, k2tog, k2, k2tog, (M6) k3, k2tog, k2, k2tog, (M7), k3, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k3, kt2tog, (M8) k3, k2tog, k2, k2tog, (M9) k3, k2tog, k2, k2tog, (M10)

Round 2: Purl

Round 3-25: Knit (this is the pictured hat, I'm doing another where I'm doing about 60 rounds here to make it a taller hat)

Top decreases:

Take out half your stitch markers, so you have a marker at the beginning of your round and at 14, 18, 14, 18, 14 stitches

If you have double-pointed needles, this might be a good time to switch to them. ( I just used a 16 inch round as my local store didn't have size 13 double endeds.)

Repeat this 2 round pattern 4 times:

Round 1: k2tog, knit to marker, repeat

Round 2: slip-slip-knit, knit to marker, repeat

Round 9: k2tog, k4, (M1) k2tog, k3, k2tog, k3, (M2) k2tog, k4, (M3) k2tog, k3, k2tog, k3, (M4) k2tog, k4 (M5)

Round 10: k2tog, k3, (M1) k2tog, k2, k2tog, k2, (M2) k2tog, k3, (M3) k2tog, k2, k2tog, k2, (M4) k2tog, k3 (M5)

Tippytop:

Now you should have 24 stitches.

Round 11: k2tog, repeat (12 stitches left)

Round 12: k2tog, repeat (6 stitches left)

Break the yarn, leaving a longish tail, and thread the needle. Catch the stitches on the extra yarn and pull it tight.

From here follow the felting procedure:

http://knitlikeapirate.com/techniques/felting.shtml

To shape the hat I found a bowel that was close to the same size as my head and drew the wet felted hat down squarely so that it was even in height. I used rubber bands to hold the hat in place. This ended up being a bad idea as it made ribs in the hat that would not come out after it was dried unless I resoaked and did some hand felting. On the next hat I'm planning on a single rubber band at the top and then maybe a wide over lapping ribbon wrapped around and around and then a rubber band at the bottom. I also did a fairly tight "plain blanket stitch" with a needle and yarn diagonally through the side/top of the hat to help define the shape. As well I shaped out the brim by hand, checking back every few hours to make sure it was still a satisfactory shape.

Stiffening:

I let it dry for a day or 2 until it was thoroughly dry, a fan can help, but not direct heat. I then used a 2:1 ratio of denatured alcohol (2) and shellac (1) in a small spray bottle (all 3 things were purchased at my local hardware store) and soaked down the top “corner” and sides of the brim with this solution. Let it dry until it stopped stinking. I sprayed areas I wanted stiffer a 2^nd time and let dry again. I made sure to try not to spray the hat band area as I wanted it to remain a little flexible for wearing.

I think that covers how I did it. Feel free to ask questions and I'll try to answer best I can.