KnittingGuides.com: Are you a beginner when it comes to knitting? Then you’re at the right place to start off with some knitting basics. Knitting is not all that complicated as it seems, its just a pattern repeated over and over again which your hands will be accustomed to as you progress. It is the marriage of yarns coming together and bringing forth beautiful scarfs, gloves, mittens and what not.
To begin with, use a pair of ordinary medium sized needles of about U.S.size 8 and an inexpensive cotton sport yarn. It would be of great help, if you could sit down with someone who has experience in knitting and observe the way they knit and ask for assistance. Go one step at a time in your knitting as mentioned under knitting basics.
Specifications of the hat:
The sizing is for an adult medium of 20 inch circumference and the gauge is 8 stitches & 12 rows in stockinette of 4 inches. For the scarf, the size of the needle used here is U.S. size 20 for a cast on of 14 stitches.
Step 1: Material
- U.S. size 15
- 1 skein chunky wool in red
- 1 skein mohair in beige
- For scarf: Bulky cream-colored wool with a fine light-blue mohair
- U.S. size 20 needle
Step 2:
Working with both the yarns, cast on 40 stitches by knitting 2 rows of it. Then work in stockinette for about 6 inches. For the next row, knit 3 & knit 2 together and purl for the next row. Next row, purl. Next row, Knit 1 & knit 2 together. Next row, purl. Then you bind-off and spin a yarn by leaving a tail of about 8 inch.
Step 3:
With the help of the yarn needle thread up the tail by passing the needle through the bind-off stitches & tighten it up. Then sew the seam. You can use the same yarn you knit or use two different yarns so the seam stands out visibly.
Step 4:
Starting from the top, pick horizontal bar between the first & second stitch with the help of a yarn needle. Pick up the corresponding bar by crossing the other sides. Continue in a similar fashion from side to side until finished. Then insert the right needle in upward direction and placing it into two stitches onto the left needle. You first enter with the lower stitch and then the upper one by wrapping the yarn behind the right needle.
Step 5:
Point the right needle downwards, holding up the wrapped piece and draw it down through two loops on the left needle. This is how you decrease the stitch. Finally, cast on both the yarns by working in 1×1 rib throughout the length of the scarf. Then you do a bind off and weave them at the ends.
Here you go! You’re ready to flaunt your new hat!
Photo credits & source: marthastewart