I’m finally getting around to posting the second of my boys’ Christmas hats. (If you missed Little Bear’s Stormtrooper Hat, check it out!) Munchkin loves dinosaurs, and when I asked what kind of hat he’d like, he very quickly voted for a T. Rex.
There are two ways to knit this hat—you can knit it straight through and then double stitch the dino on at the end, or you can knit intarsia. I double stitched my dino on, and it does end up a little stiff in that area, since the yarn is double thick (the yarn you knit the hat with plus the second color you double stitch with). If you want to try intarsia, you can follow this tutorial video from Modern Daily Knitting. You can also look at the Stormtrooper Hat I made for Little Bear—I did that one with intarsia instead of double stitching. I’ve included instructions for both methods, so you can choose the one you prefer.
The pattern is written to use one dinosaur motif on the front of the hat, like I did for Munchkin’s, but as a variation for the Child size, you could begin the dinosaur chart at the beginning of the round and repeat it four times to the end of the round, so you have T. Rexes chasing each other around the hat.
Pattern notes: This pattern includes instructions for both double stitching and intarsia. As a variation for the Child size, the dinosaur chart can repeat all the way around the hat. The Setup Round for this variation goes like this: k20, pm, repeat to end. (You’ll need 4 stitch markers.)
Needle: US size 8 (5mm), 16” circular. US size 8 (5mm), set of 4 double-pointed needles.
Yarns used: Loops and Threads Impeccable (worsted (4); 100% acrylic; 285 yards/127.5 grams), 1 skein of True Gray and 1 skein of Fern.
Yardage: about 100 yards.
Gauge: 4 stitches and 6 rows = 1 inch (2.5 cm).
Other Notions: stitch markers (1 for double stitching, 3 for intarsia, or 4 for repeating the dinosaurs around the hat), yarn needle for finishing.
Final Measurements: This pattern is written in sizes Toddler (Child, Adult, Large Adult). Hat circumferences are 18 (20, 22, 24) inches or 45.7 (50.8, 55.9, 61) cm.
Stitch Abbreviations:
k = knit
p = purl
pm = place marker
yo = yarn over
sm = slip marker
sl = slip
ssk = slip slip knit
p2tog = purl two together
Chart:
Pattern:
Using circular needles, cast on 72 (80, 88, 96) stitches. Join into a round, being careful not to twist your stitches. Place marker at the beginning of the round.
First 6 (6, 6, 9) rounds: k1, p1, repeat to end.
Instructions for intarsia:
Next 2 (2, 5, 5) rounds: knit.
Setup Round: k26 (30, 34, 38), pm, k20, pm, k26 (30, 34, 38).
Begin knitting from chart as follows:
Round 1: yo, k to marker, sm, knit first row of chart (reading it right to left), sm, k to last stitch, sl1, remove marker, place slipped stitch back onto left needle, ssk (one of the sts in the ssk is the yo from the beginning of the round). Replace marker, turn your work.
Round 2: yo, p to marker, sm, purl second row of chart (reading it left to right), sm, p to last stitch, sl1, remove marker, place slipped stitch back onto left needle, p2tog (one of the sts in the p2tog is the yo from the beginning of the round). Replace marker, turn your work.
Repeat these two rounds, continuing to read consecutive rows of the chart, always reading right to left on RS rounds and left to right on WS rounds.
Return to knitting in the round without turning your work. (You may remove the markers at either end of the chart pattern when you have finished knitting the entire chart.)
Next 9 (9, 11, 14) rounds: knit.
Continue to Decreases.
Instructions for double stitching:
Next 24 (24, 29, 32) rounds: knit.
Continue to Decreases. Once hat is complete, use markers or scrap yarn to mark out the borders of the chart: 26 (30, 34, 38) stitches from the beginning/end of the round in either direction, and 3 (3, 6, 6) rows from the ribbed border. Follow the chart to double stitch dinosaur onto hat. Sew ends under.
Decreases:
Round 1: k7 (8, 9, 10), k2tog, repeat to end.
Round 2: knit.
Round 3: k6 (7, 8, 9), k2tog, repeat to end.
Round 4: knit.
Round 5: k5 (6, 7, 8), k2tog, repeat to end.
Round 6: knit.
Round 7 (all sizes EXCEPT Toddler): k(5, 6, 7), k2tog, repeat to end.
Round 8 (all sizes EXCEPT Toddler): knit.
Round 9 (Large Adult ONLY): k6, k2tog, repeat to end.
Round 10 (Large Adult ONLY): knit.
Round 11 (all sizes): k4 (4, 5, 5), k2tog, repeat to end.
Round 12: k3 (3, 4, 4), k2tog, repeat to end.
Round 13: k2 (2, 3, 3), k2tog, repeat to end.
Round 14: k1 (1, 2, 2), k2tog, repeat to end.
Round 15 (Toddler and Child sizes): k2tog, repeat to end.
Round 16 (Adult and Large Adult sizes): k1, k2tog, repeat to end.
Round 17 (Adult and Large Adult sizes): k2tog, repeat to end.
Cut yarn about 6 inches from last stitch, thread through remaining stitches. Sew all ends under. Block.
