Layla Baby Hat

In my expanding baby hat project, here is the Layla Hat.

My nephew’s baby girl is just the sweetest little doll, so I had to make a hat for her. What is great that you use less than a skein of yarn, and from my calculations, can also make at least two hats from one full skein. Once you make one of these, you will want to make more and more, using variegated yarn, striped yarns, and bright colors.

The other cool thing is that this is a cable stitch without needing a cable needle. If you have a fear of trying the cable stitch, this is a baby step with a baby hat!

Materials:

1 skein DK (double knit) yarn

Size 6 (4,0 mm) 16” circular needle
Size 6 (4.0 mm) double pointed needles
Stitch marker
Yarn needle

Abbreviations:
K: Knit
P: Purl
Mock cable (over two stitches): Knit two stitches together but do not remove from your left needle. Insert right needle into the first stitch and pull up a stitch. Remove from left needle.

Cast on 64 stitches. Join being careful not to twist the stitches and place marker.

Round 1-3: Work in 2x2 ribbing (K2, P2).
Round 4: *Mock cable, P2; rep from * to marker.
Work these 4 rounds until piece measures 5 ½”.

Crown:
Switch to double pointed needles when necessary.
Round 1: *K2, P2tog, K2, P2; rep from * to marker
Round 2: *K2, P1, K2, P2; repeat from * to marker.
Round 3:  *K2, P1, K2, p2tog. Repeat from * to marker.
Round 4:  *Mock cable, p1; repeat from * to marker.
Round 5:  *K2, P1 * repeat from * to marker.
Round 6:  *K2tog, P1, K2, P1; repeat from * to marker.
Round 7:  *K1, P1, K2, P1; repeat from * to marker.
Round 8:  *K2tog, P1, K2, P1; repeat from * to marker.
Round 9:  *K1, P1, repeat from * to marker.
Round 10-11: K2tog until there are six stitches left.

Cut yarn, leaving an 8” tail. Cut yarn, thread through the remaining stitches and secure tightly.  Weave in ends.

You can alter the pattern easily to make hats bigger or smaller. Just make the number of stitches a number divisible by 4, or use a larger or smaller needle.