https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/owls-hat • Posted by KatieBoyette
Owls are everywhere now, and there are certainly plenty of hat patterns with owl motifs, but this is only because so many people, myself included, really love owls. I know this is true, because every time I wear this hat, someone asks me to knit one for them. I recently met an owl named Sassy at a wildlife rehab center. She is amazing. It was all I could do not to slip her into my knitting bag and take her home with me. There were two reasons I hesitated. For starters, she’s a very large bird of prey, and secondly, I was afraid once we got home, she’d eat my cat.
Owls are everywhere now, and there are certainly plenty of hat patterns with owl motifs, but this is only because so many people, myself included, really love owls. I know this is true, because every time I wear this hat, someone asks me to knit one for them. I recently met an owl named Sassy at a wildlife rehab center. She is amazing. It was all I could do not to slip her into my knitting bag and take her home with me. There were two reasons I hesitated. For starters, she’s a very large bird of prey, and secondly, I was afraid once we got home, she’d eat my cat.
Gauge: 20 sts and 24 rows over 4” in stockinette st Finished head circumference: Child-Adult Small Adult Medium Adult Large 20.5” 21.5” 23” Download chart attachment and follow. Notes when knitting chart: When changing colors, twist sts together to prevent holes. Run colors along wrong side of hat when not using, twisting every 3rd or 4th st to maintain tension. Knit loosely to avoid puckering sts. (see figure 1)
Hat, knit from the bottom up: Using MC, co 102[108, 114] sts., pm, join to knit in the round. Be careful not to twist sts. Round 1: (K2, p1) 34[36, 38] times. Repeat round 5 times more. Round 6: (K2[3, 4], knit first row of chart) 6 times. Repeat round 4 until chart is completed. Knit 1[2, 4] more rounds even. Next round: (K2tog, k15[16, 17]) 6 times. 96[102, 108] sts. Next round: Knit. Next round: (K2tog, k14[15, 16]) 6 times. 90[96, 102] sts. Next round: Knit. Continue decreasing 6 sts every other round until 30 sts remain, then decrease 6 sts every round until 6 sts remain. Break yarn, pull tail through remaining sts. Weave end into wrong side of hat. Block hat. Pom pom: You can find pom pom makers at most craft stores, but you can also easily make one yourself if you prefer. Cut a circle of cardboard to the desired diameter of the pom pom. Mine is 2” across. Cut a 1/2 inch circle in the center of the disk, and cut a slit from the inside circle to outside edge. Cut a length of yarn, and lay it over the center of the disk. Begin wrapping the desired color of yarn from the inside circle around the outside edge, working your way around the disk. (see figure 2).
The more yarn you wrap, the fluffier your pom pom will be. Using sharp scissors, cut around the outer edge of the disk. Pull the length of yarn tight and knot to hold pieces of pom pom together. Use the tail to sew to the top of the hat (see figure 3).