A Few Stitches At A Time

Pattern: Cabled Baby Hat & Mittens set, by Paulina Chin

Last week was an entire week of grandmother things. What did I do? I braided hair. I cooked supper every night. I got up at 4:30 in the morning with a sick little one. I picked up after school. I attended a costume parade. I handed out Halloween candy. I read bedtime stories. 

And in between the grandmother things, I knitted. Just tiny bits here and there. But with these little hats, a few stitches along the way add up quickly. And they are finished, washed and ready to deliver today. This new baby gets them both. The cabled hat is a little bigger than the light blue one, so hopefully the sweet new baby head will stay warm all winter.

Here is my hat “recipe”—

With DK yarn and a 16-inch needle (size 5 or 6) cast on 72 stitches. Join (place marker at join) and knit until it measures 5 to 5-1/4 inches from cast on. Start decreases. (Switch to DPNS when necessary) 
K2tog, K6 to marker; 
K2tog,K5 to marker, and continue likewise...
K2tog, K4; 
K2tog, K3; 
K2tog, K2; 
K2tog, K1; 
K2tog until there are 5 stitches left. 
Work in I-cord for 6 rounds. K2tog until 3 stitches left. Cut yarn and run through those stitches to close. Run down through stem and work in end.