ODESSA HAT

Grumperina

FINISHED SIZES16.75” (42.5 cm) in circumference and 7.5” (19 cm) in depth unstretched; to fit heads 20” (51 cm) to 23” (58 cm) in circumference.

YARNRowan Cashso� DK [57% extra fine merino, 33% microfibre, 10% cashmere; 142 yd (130 m)/50 g]: 1 ball Bella Donna 502.

NEEDLESUS 4 (3.5 mm) and US 6 (4 mm) 16” (40 cm) circular needles; US 6 (4 mm) double-pointed needles, or size needed to obtain correct gauge.

NOTIONSSize 6 pearl-colored beads: approxi-mately 150 (modeled hat uses 110); tapestry needle, s�tch marker.

GAUGE26 sts and 33 rows over 4” (10 cm) square in hat pa�ern knit circularly.

Everything about this hat reminds me of a crisp spring day in Odessa: the color - a carbon copy of blooming lilac blossoms all over the city, the swirling lines - reminiscent of the sun poking through the clouds, the pearly beads - people’s smiles and sparkling eyes gree�ng the coming summer months.

The Odessa hat is a sa�sfying project - knit en�rely in the round and requiring only one skein of Rowan Cashso� DK, there is minimal finishing and immediate wearability. The natural stretchiness of the yarn and pa�ern allow the hat to cover a range of head sizes - from 20” (large child) to 23” (large adult). The beads are a wonderful detail, although it’s important to point out that they are a choking hazard; please use your judgment. Omi�ng the beads and choosing an appropriate yarn color will most certainly please masculine Odessa admirers, too.

NOTES If you wish to omit the beads, simply knit the BK1 s�tches. More informa�on about kni�ng with beads can be found in the Fall 2007 issue of Knitscene.

STITCHESBK1 - knit a bead into a s�tch. Insert the needle into the s�tch to be knit as usual, slide a bead close the needle, and pull the bead through to the front as you complete the s�tch. The bead should sit on the right leg of the knit s�tch “V.”

ODESSA STITCH PATTERNSPlain rnd: *ssk, k6, yo, k2, rep from * un�l the end of rnd.Beaded rnd: *ssk, k3, BK1, k2, yo, k2, rep from * un�l the end of rnd.

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PATTERN

Before you begin, string 150 beads onto the yarn. As you knit, gently move them towards the other end of the ball as needed.

Using US 4 (3.5 mm) circular needle, CO 110 sts. Join into rnd, being careful not to twist s�tches. K3, p2 all the way around un�l work measures 1” (2.5 cm) from cast-on edge. K2 sts and place marker. The marker (not the tail of the yarn) is the beginning of all future rounds. Switch to US 6 (4 mm) needles. Begin using Odessa s�tch pa�erns: work 2 plain rnds, *1 beaded rnd, 3 plain rnds, rep from * un�l work measures 5.5” (14 cm) from cast-on edge. For a deeper hat, you may wish to work an addi�onal 1-2”.

Begin hat decreases (switch to dpns when there are too few sts to stretch around the circular needle). Rep each line of instruc�ons for the en�rety of one rnd.

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1. ssk, k4, BK1, k1, yo, k2 (110 sts remain)2. (sl1, k2tog, psso), k5, yo, k2 (99)3. ssk, k5, yo, k24. sl1, k2tog, psso, k4, yo, k2 (88)5. ssk, k3, BK1, yo, k26. (sl1, k2tog, psso), k3, yo, k2 (77)7. ssk, k3, yo, k28. (sl1, k2tog, psso), k2, yo, k2 (66)9. ssk, k2, yo, k210. (sl1, k2tog, psso), k1, yo, k2 (55)11. ssk, k1, yo, k212. (sl1, k2tog, psso), yo, k2 (44)13. ssk, k2 (33)14. ssk, k1 (22)15. ssk (11)

Cut yarn, leaving a tail. Thread the tail through the remaining 11 sts, pull the hole closed and weave the tail on the inside of the hat. Block lightly.

ODESSA HAT

Grumperina