Shrinking Mimsy's Basic Hat From The Bottom Up

Shrinking Mimsy’s Basic Hat from the Bottom Up September 11, 2009 Gauge= 4 stitches per inch on size 8- 16” circular needle for a 20” circumference hat. Cast on 80 stitches with long tail cast on. Join without twisting. Row 1 – knit Row 2 – purl Row 3 – knit Row 4 – purl Row 5 – knit Row 6 – purl Knit plain until 5 inches from bottom of hat. (Or more for a longer, warmer winter hat) start decreases: Decrease Row 1 – Knit 6, Knit 2tog around (70 stitches) Knit one row plain Decrease Row 2 – Knit 5 – Knit 2tog around (60 stitches) Knit one row plain Decrease Row 3 – Knit 4 Knit 2tog around (50 stitches) Knit one row plain (Switch to double points when necessary) Decrease Row 4 – Knit 3 Knit 2tog around (40 stitches) Decrease Row 5 – Knit 2 Knit 2tog around (30 stitches) Decrease Row 6 – Knit 1 Knit 2tog around (20 stitches) Decrease Row 7 – Knit 2tog around (10 stitches) Break off working yarn with a 10 inch thread. Thread through a yarn needle and pass twice through remaining stitches. Pull tight and pass through to wrong side of hat and weave in. Weave in beginning tail and enjoy your new hat!

Instructions for knitting a hat using your choice of yarn, needles and gauge: Knit a swatch to determine your gauge. Your gauge = A; Your desired hat circumference =B; A-gauge x B-circumference = C - # of stitches to cast on (round up or down to the nearest ten) Cast on C Knit body of hat as instructed above until decrease row 1. C divided by 10 =X; X-2 = Y Decrease Row 1 = Knit Y, Knit2tog. Continue with decreases as above, subtracting one from Y for each decrease round. Example: Gauge (A) = 6 Stitches per inch, circumference (B) = 19 Inches 6x19=114(C) stitches (Round down to 110.) 110(C) divided by 10 = 11(X); 11-2 = 9(Y) Decrease Row 1 = Knit 9, Knit 2tog, Decrease Row 2 = Knit 8, Knit 2tog, Decrease Row 2 = Knit 8 Knit 2tog, and so on.