G8 by Erssie Major

These colorful caps shown in Mother and Daughter sizes were originally designed for Mother’s Day during the week of the G8 summit. When Erssie designed these, Africa was very much on everyone’s mind and so the hats have a Moroccan/North African feel to the styling with a bright checkerboard pattern and Fez style cord and tassel. Shown in two different colorways, each hat involves four colors alternated throughout and the Fair Isle colour work is easy enough for a complete novice. Each starts with a two color rib knitted in the round followed by two color checks and then a square top achieved using paired decreases so that each triangular section decreases towards the center of the crown. Don’t be put off by the term ‘paired decreases’, this has been worked out for you and instructions are simple K2tog or SSK wherever you’re instructed to do so and the shaping will emerge as if by magic. The hats are finished with a two color striped twisted cord and two color tassel.  Although they have a square construction, they can be folded neatly into a package that fits easily into your pocket.

Sizes

Child 2 years and above, to fit head circumference 18 inches

Women’s small, to fit head circumference 21 inches

Yarn

Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran (55% merino wool, 33% microfiber, 12% cashmere; 98 yd [90m] per 50g skein):

Child's Hat

Color A: 1 skein in color 008 Chocolate
Color B: 1 skein in color 007 Rust
Color C: 1 skein in color 207 Navy
Color D: 1 skein in color 101 Off White

Mother's Hat

Color A: 1 skein in color 501 Green
Color B: 1 skein in color 611 Wine
Color C: 1 skein in color 208 Blue
Color D: 1 skein in color 001 White

Note: Each hat uses small amounts of each color so as long as you have approx 20g of each you should have enough.

Needles

US #8 (5 mm): one set of 5 DPNs
US #5 (3.5 mm): one pair of straight needles

Gauge

18 sts and 24 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) in checkerboard pattern on US #8 (5 mm) needles

It is important to test this gauge using two colors as the Fair Isle stranding will produce a tighter gauge than normal.

Notions

Tapestry needle; scrap cardboard for winding yarn around to make tassels; bobbins for keeping lengths of separate colors of yarn, optional.