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Description

Beanie Bopper is a stocking stitch beanie. It starts with a garter stitch brim worked flat. There is an intentionally visible seam between the brim and body, and the body is worked in stocking stitch. The crown decreases swirl gently before converging in the centre and the Hat is topped with a pompom.

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Yarn
100g/94yd/86m
Handspun bulky yarn

Needles & Notions
Set 8mm/UK0/US11 DPNs/Circular or size needed to obtain gauge
Stitch marker as necessary
Tapestry needle

Sample details
Sealy MacWheely Hand Dyed British Hand Spun [96yd/86m per 100g; 100% Superwash Merino]

Shown in size 21in/53.25cm on model with 21.75in/55.25cm circumference head

Gauge
12 sts x 24 rows to 4in/10cm on 8mm needles over Garter St.

Sizes
To fit sizes: 15 [17, 19, 21] in/ 38 [43.25, 48.25, 53.25] cm
Finished size: 13.25 [14.75, 16, 17.25] in/ 33.75 [37.5, 40.75, 43.75] cm
Not sure which size to make? Check my handy size and measuring guide!

Skills required
Garter Stitch

Stocking Stitch

Knitting in the round

Pompoms

Provisional Cast-on

Grafting Garter Stitch

Increases & Decreases

Slipped Stitch Selvedge

Abbreviations

K: knit

P: purl

rpt: repeat

Rnd(s): rounds

st(s): stitch(es)

PM: place marker

ssk: slip next 2 sts knitwise, then knit these 2 sts together through the backs of the loops

How to

Using waste yarn and Crochet Provisional Cast-on method, cast on 5 [6, 7, 8] sts. Change to main yarn and work the Brim as follows:

Brim

Row 1: Knit to last stitch, bring yarn forward, slip stitch purlwise, turn (creating a slipped stitch selvedge)

Row 2: Knit all sts

Repeat these 2 rows, continuing to work a slipped stitch selvedge on one side only, until 78 [86, 94, 102] rows/39 [43, 47, 51] ridges have been worked, where 1 ridge = 2 rows.

(note that when you are counting ridges, ensure that the ridge count on both sides of the work is the same, remembering to include the ridge created with the provisional cast-on.)

Then work Row 1 once more, leaving the yarn at the back of the work. Break yarn.

Carefully remove Provisional Cast-on stitch by stitch, taking care to keep in pattern, transferring live stitches to 2nd needle. Prepare your stitches for Garter Stitch Kitchener Stitch, as outlined in the tutorial. Graft across the stitches to join.

Weave in all ends. You may wish to use the yarn tail to neaten the selvedge edge. The garter graft will have created a final row in the work, bringing the total number of ridges to 40 [44, 48, 52].

With a circular needle and yarn, and starting at the point of grafting with the slipped stitch edge upwards and visible with the right side facing, pick up and knit one stitch for each garter ridge - pick up the stitch one stitch in from the edge on the wrong side, which would be the first ridge directly below the rear of the slipped stitch. [40, 44, 48, 52 sts]

Join in the round, being careful not to twist sts. Place stitch marker to indicate start of round.

Body

Rnd 1: Knit all sts
Repeat Rnd 1, creating stocking stitch in the round, until work measures 4.5 [5, 5.5, 6] in/ 11.5 [12.75,14, 15.25] cm including the Brim.

Crown Preparation

Sizes 17in & 21in only:

Rnd 1: *K – [9, –, 11], ssk; rpt from * to end [40, 40, 48, 48 sts]

Crown

Rnd 1: *K 3 [3, 4, 4], ssk, PM; rpt from * to end [32, 32, 40, 40 sts]

Rnd 2: Knit all sts

Rnd 3: *Knit to 2sts before marker, ssk; rpt from * to end

Repeat Rnds 2 & 3 until only 8sts remain, ending after a Rnd 3. Remove markers then:

Next Rnd: *k2tog; rpt from * to end [4 sts]

Break yarn and draw through remaining 4 sts, tighten to close.

PomPom

Cut 2 circular pieces measuring 2.5in/6.25cm diameter from thin cardboard. The inner circle should be approximately 1.25in/3.25cm. Placing the two pieces of card together, wrap the yarn through the centre and around the outer circle, continuing in this manner until all the card is covered. Continue wrapping the yarn until either the centre hole has closed or all the yarn has been used.

Carefully cut the yarn along the edge of the circle to reveal the covered card. Cut all of the yarn, then tie a knot between the two layers off card, effectively tying all the pieces of yarn together, before removing the card. Trim pompom before attaching securely to the Hat.

Finishing

Weave in all ends. A gentle wash and blocking is required to help the stitches settle and the crown lay flat. Attach pompom after blocking.