Ellie's Winter Hat to Match the Team Uniform (Plus the Knitting Pattern)

This year the team changed their colors from red, black and white to green, black and white. That meant that I had an opportunity to make a new hat. The last one was much more subtle. Ellie decided that she wanted this one to be pretty full of pattern and fun.

It actually took three times to get this hat right. The first two were variations on black, white and green checkers. I just could not get it right. They were too tight. I guess that I have not figured out how to work the tension on carrying two colors.

I simplified my idea and went back to two colors. This one worked out nicely. Here's the instructions:
Ellie's Fun Patterned Hat

Needles & Yarn:

Size 1 16 inch circular needle
Size 1 double pointed needles
Size 4 or 5 16 inch circular needle
DK weight yarn (black, white, green)

Pattern:
Using the size 1 circular needles, cast on 98 stitches. Knit the first row without joining it. You can opt to do a *k2,P2* if you like. Next, straighten the knitting on the needles to make sure it is not twisted. (This is a secret Larr's Aunt Lynne taught me. It helps reduce the chance that you end up with a twisted, modius, round.) Place a marker and then join them, beginning to knit the ribbing with *k2,P2*. Continue this until you have achieved the desired amount of ribbing. Elli'e hat has about 1.5" of ribbing.

Switch to the larger circular needles and begin the body of the hat. I knit 6 rounds of stockingette

Patterns -

* = Black
O = White
G - Green

Jagged Lines 1 =

*GGGG*GGGG
*G*GG*G*GG
*G*GG*G*GG
*G**G*G**G
**********

Knit 3 rows of green.

Checkers =

OOOOOOOO
**OO**OO
**OO**OO
OO**OO**
OO**OO**
OOOOOOOO

Knit 3 rows of green.

Jagged Line 2 =

**********
*G**G*G**G
*G**G*G**G
*G*GG*G*GG
*G*GG*G*GG
*GGGG*GGGG

Vertical Cheveron =

**********
*OOO*OOO*O
O*OOO*OOO*
OO*OOO*OOO
OOO*OOO*OO
OO*OOO*OOO
O*OOO*OOO*
*OOO*OOO*O
**********

Repeat Jagged Line 1.
Knit 3 rows of green.
Repeat Jagged Line 2.
Kint 2 lines of black.

Begin Decrease to shape crown=
Place marker, Using the black yarn, knit 8, place marker. Repeat to the end of the row.
*K2tog, K7* repeat to the end of the row.
Knit 1 row.
*K2tog, K6*repeat to the end of the row.
Knit 1 row.
Switch to the size 1 ciruclar needles.
*K2tog, K5*repeat to the end of the row.
Knit 1 row.
*K2tog, K4*repeat to the end of the row.
Knit 1 row.
Continue in this fashion, changing to the size 1 double pointed needles when needed.
*K2tog, K3*repeat to the end of the row.
Knit 1 row.
*K2tog, K2*repeat to the end of the row.
Continue until you have between 10-12 stiches left on the needles. Cut your yarn so that you have a tail that is about 10" long. Use a crochet needle to move the remaining stitches from the double pointed needles onto the yarn. Pull to tighten and weave in. Use the tail to attach a pom pom, if using one. Weave the end of the yarn into the inside of the hat.
Weave in the loose ends from the color changes.
Block the hat as needed.