This hat has a very interesting construction, using short rows, without any sewing at all. But don’t worry: the pattern has all explanations needed with details, easy to follow.
Design Juliana Gaiolli Serrano
Material
Yarn: 1 skein of Merino Sock Da Fazenda (100% merino wool)
Needle: 2,00 mm circular (30 inches long).
Notions: 2 stitch markers, 2 auxiliary needles, 1 button, tapestry needle, needle and thread for the button
Gauge (knitted flat, blocked)
2×2 ribbon: 20 stitches x 35 rows = 4 inches.
One strip with the 4×4 cable pattern (explained below): 1,4″ width
Notes
This hat is knitted from the top to the bottom, in spiral form, with no sewing. That’s where the name came from – in honor of a Tool music, wich is entirely made in a spiral form, the lyrics and the sound itself (“swing on the spiral…spiral out, keep going…”).
The funny part is that it appears to have a very exact pattern, with a exact cable and exact spaces in between them. Although, as you’ll see as you knit it, it is uneven and that allows you to knit increases almost anywhere. The thing that ensures this effect is the joint between the rounded of the head and the rounded of the spiral – as if both rounds annulated each other and resulted, visually, in a straight cable.
Another cool thing is how the horizontal cables work and the unusual knitting process - the technique is easy to adapt and it is A LOT OF FUN!!!
Abbreviations
m – make one – increase through the backloop c – Cable This cable is knitted, at first, with 2×2 stitches and, afterwards, with 3×3 stitches and, yet, 4×4. It is cabled, at first, twice, then 3 times and, at the end, 4 times. This progression helps create the spiral visual. Even though it has different quantities of stitches and cables, its logic remains the same: there are two “tubes” that cross each other. They are stockinette stitches that are always apart by a reverse stockinette stitch (the same as edge stitches) that is in the middle of the cable but never cables. That is why it is asked of you two auxiliary needles. To the first one, you’ll slip the stitches that will be cabled. To the second one, you will slip the separation stitch. Knit the stitches from the regular needle first, purl the stitch from the second auxiliary needle and knit the stitches from the first auxiliary needle. This way you will cable the “tube” stitches, but the separation stitch remains in place.
Schematics
Size
Finding the desired size is easy – the short row sessions work as increases. As soon as your spiral gets as big as the top of your head, you will keep on knitting without any short rows session, which will make the hat go down straightly. Gaugewise, to check how many stripes you will have to do until the top of our head is covered, knit the 3×3 pattern with the edge stitches. Check the width inches. If the sizes (circle of your head and width) are not multiples, you should remove or insert edge stiches until they are.
For instance: if my strip has 3 inches, but the top of my head has 16 inches, I calculate my strip stitches in a way the result has 4 inches, making the fitting easier. Although you must notice that there are only 2 stitches at the beginning and they are increased along the spiral, therefor this measurement is a reference and not to be strictly correct. If you adapt your strip and try it on as you knit, your control over the final result is sufficient. And, again, this is an uneven hat and a lot of its fun is exactly that unevenness. If it turns out a bit wide, for example, you can take advantage of that and, when you pick up stitches for the ribbon, you pick up fewer stitches than my instructions tell you to so that the ribbon turns out tighter, holding the hat to the head and making a beautiful volume effect.
Notes: The edge stitches – so the strips are knitted together and perfectly aligned, after the first turn on the spiral is made, the last stitch from the right side is always knitted with the stitch on the border of the strip right above, just like the drawing. The first stitch of the wrong side rows are also knitted with a stitch from the border of the above strip. Always pick up the stitch strap and the stitch knot – knit one with the right side stitch and the other with the wrong side one. Stablish the pattern andgo throught with it til the end.
Directions
Cast on 2 stitches. Knit, in back and forth rows:
R.S.: p2. Turn. W.S.: k2. Turn.
row 3: p1, m1, p1. Turn. row 4: k3. Turn. row 5: p1, m1, p1, m1, p1. Turn. row 6: k1, p1, k1, p1, k1. Turn.
FIRST SHORT ROW SESSION – here the spiral begins to turn. row 1: p1, k1, p1, k1. Turn (keep 1 stitch on wait). row 2: YO, p1, k1, p1, k1. Turn. row 3: p1, k1, p1. Turn (keep another stitch on wait). row 4: YO, k1, p1, k1. Turn. row 5: p1, k1. Turn (keep another stitch on wait). row 6: YO, p1, k1. Turn. row 7: p1. Turn (keep another stitch on wait). row 8: YO, k1. Turn. Joint row – p1, k2tog (YO +st), p2tog (YO +st), k2tog (YO +st), p3tog (YO +st + stitch casted on he needle on the beginning).
The first stitch marker will be placed on the first stitch of your needle. It will mark where another short row session will take place, after a full “spiral turn”.
Turn. Pick up the next stitch on your little disc, knit it with the first stitch. From now on, first and last stitches will be knitted together with the one from the border of the strip above, as explained before.
row: k2tog, p1, k1, p1, k1.
First cable
row 1: p1, m1, place one stitch in an auxiliary needle, place the next one on a second auxiliary needle, k1, p1 from second auxiliary needle, k1 from first auxiliary needle, m1, p2tog (with picked up stitch). Turn.
row 2: k2tog (With picked up stitch), k1, p1, k1, p1, k1. Turn. row 3: p2, k1, p1, k1, p1, p2tog (With picked up stitch). Turn. row 4: k2tog (With picked up stitch), p1, k1, p1, k1, p2. Turn. row 5: p2, k1, m1, p1, m1, k1, p1, p2tog (With picked up stitch). Turn. row 6: k2tog (With picked up stitch), k1, p2, k1, p2, k2. Turn.
Second cable row 7: p2, place 2 stitches on auxiliary needle, place one stitch on a second auxiliary needle, k2, p1 from second auxiliary needle, k2 from first auxiliary needle, p1, p2tog (With picked up stitch). Turn row 8: k2tog (With picked up stitch), k1, p2, k1, p2, k2. Turn row 9 and 10: knit a wrong side row and a right side row knitting the stitches as they appear.
SECOND SHORT ROW SESSION – another “spiral turn”. row 1: p2, k2, p1, k2, p1. Turn (keep 1 stitch on wait). row 2: YO, k1, p2, k1, p2, k2. Turn. row 3: p2, k2, p1, k2. Turn (keep another stitch on wait). row 4: YO, p2, k1, p2, k2. Turn. row 5: p2, k2, p1, k1. Turn (keep another stitch on wait). row 6: YO, p1, k1, p2, k2. Turn. row 7: p2, k2, p1. Turn (keep another stitch on wait). row 8: YO, k1, p2, k2. Turn. row 9: p2, k2. Turn (keep another stitch on wait). row 10: YO, p2, k2. Turn. row 11: p2, k1. Turn (keep another stitch on wait). row 12: YO, p1, k2. Turn. row 13: p2. Turn (keep another stitch on wait). row 14: YO, k2. Turn. row 15: p1. Turn (keep another stitch on wait). row 16: YO, k1. Turn. Joint row- p1, k2tog (YO +st), p2tog (YO +st), k2tog (YO +st), p3tog (YO +st + picked up stitch).
Place second stitch marker on the first stitch. It marks where another short row session will take place, after another full turn. You will knit two session per round. Ideally, they are aligned as a straight line, passing over the middle, such as shown on this drawing. Again I must say this schematics are not exact and is not, in any way, necessary that these two markers are perfectly in line, they can be a little out of place with no loss to the final effect.
RS: c. Turn. WS: knitting stitches as they appear. Turn. row 3: knitting stitches as they appear. Turn. row 4: knitting stitches as they appear. Turn. row 5: c. Turn. row 6: knitting stitches as they appear. Turn.
Next row should be the one to pick up the stitch with the first marker. Take it off and leave it for now.
SHORT ROW SESSION – do as the second one, described above. Joint row. Turn. Wrong side row knitting the stitches as they appear. Turn. Place marker on the first stitch. A right side row and a wrong side row knitting stitches as they appear (do not forget to pick up stitches from the border and knit them together).
RS: c. Turn. WS: knitting stitches as they appear. Turn. row 3: knitting stitches as they appear. Turn. row 4: knitting stitches as they appear. Turn. row 5: c. Turn. row 6: knitting stitches as they appear. Turn. row 7: knitting stitches as they appear. Turn. row 8: knitting stitches as they appear. Turn.
Repeat rows 7 and 8 3 times.
HERE START A CABLE ON A SEQUENCE OF 3 RS: c. Turn WS: knitting stitches as they appear. Turn row 3: knitting stitches as they appear. Turn. row 4: knitting stitches as they appear. Turn. row 5: c. Turn. row 6: knitting stitches as they appear. Turn. row 7: knitting stitches as they appear. Turn. row 8: knitting stitches as they appear. Turn. row 9: c. Turn. row 10: knitting stitches as they appear. Turn. row 11: knitting stitches as they appear. Turn. row 12: knitting stitches as they appear. Turn.
Here you should reach second stitch marker. Take it off and leave it for now. Knit: SHORT ROW SESSION. Joint row. Turn. Wrong side row knitting stitches as they appear. Turn. Place marker on the first stitch. A right side and a wrong side row knitting stitches as they appear.
CABLE ON A SEQUENCE OF 3 (as described above). 3 times (One right side row and one wrong side row knitting stitches as they appear). CABLE ON A SEQUENCE OF 3 (as described above).
Here you should reach stitch marker. Take it off and leave it for now. Knit: SHORT ROW SESSION. Joint row. Turn. Wrong side row knitting stitches as they appear. Turn. Place marker on the first stitch. A right side and a wrong side row knitting stitches as they appear.
CABLE ON A SEQUENCE OF 3 (as described above). 3 times (One right side row and one wrong side row knitting stitches as they appear). CABLE ON A SEQUENCE OF 3 (as described above). 3 times (One right side row and one wrong side row knitting stitches as they appear). CABLE ON A SEQUENCE OF 3 (as described above).
In my hat, the stitch marker was reached before the last row of the cable, but there’s no problem because I can still cable t with the last stitch and the one after on hold. If the short row session had to be postponed up until 4 rows, no problem, they can wait. If you should have to postpone for more than 4 rows because of the cable, leave the cable for afterwards and knit the short row session – that is the pattern inconstant, which makes it flexible enough.
Here you should reach second stitch marker. Take it off and leave it for now. Knit: SHORT ROW SESSION. Joint row. Turn. Wrong side row knitting stitches as they appear. Turn. Place marker on the first stitch. A right side and a wrong side row knitting stitches as they appear.
CABLE ON A SEQUENCE OF 3 (as described above). 3 times (One right side row and one wrong side row knitting stitches as they appear). CABLE ON A SEQUENCE OF 3 (as described above). 3 times (One right side row and one wrong side row knitting stitches as they appear). CABLE ON A SEQUENCE OF 3 (as described above). 3 times (One right side row and one wrong side row knitting stitches as they appear).
Here you should reach stitch marker. Take it off and leave it for now. Knit: SHORT ROW SESSION. Joint row. Turn. Wrong side row knitting stitches as they appear. Turn. Place marker on the first stitch. A right side and a wrong side row knitting stitches as they appear.
LAST INCREASE OF THE STRIPE. CABLE ON A SEQUENCE OF 3 (as described above). 2 times (One right side row and one wrong side row knitting stitches as they appear). CABLE INCREASE RS: p2, k1, m1, k1, p1, k1, m1, k1, p1, p2tog (with picked up stitch). WS: k2tog (with picked up stitch) k1 p3 k1 p3 k2. BORDER INCREASE RS: p1, m1, p1, k3, p1, k3, p1, m1, p2tog (with picked up stitch). WS: k2tog (with picked up stitch), k2, p3, k1, p3, k3.
ATTENTION: Now the cable will have 3 knitted stitches on the auxiliary needle, 1 purled stitch on the second auxiliary needle.
CABLE ON A SEQUENCE OF 3 (as described above). 3 times (One right side row and one wrong side row knitting stitches as they appear). CABLE ON A SEQUENCE OF 3 (as described above).
Here you should reach stitch marker. Take it off and leave it for now. Knit: SHORT ROW SESSION. Joint row. Turn. Wrong side row knitting stitches as they appear. Turn. Place marker on the first stitch. A right side and a wrong side row knitting stitches as they appear.
CABLE ON A SEQUENCE OF 3 (as described above). 3 times (One right side row and one wrong side row knitting stitches as they appear). CABLE ON A SEQUENCE OF 3 (as described above). 3 times (One right side row and one wrong side row knitting stitches as they appear). CABLE ON A SEQUENCE OF 3 (as described above).
3 times (One right side row and one wrong side row knitting stitches as they appear).
Here you should reach stitch marker. Take it off and leave it for now. Knit: SHORT ROW SESSION. Joint row. Turn. Wrong side row knitting stitches as they appear. Turn. Place marker on the first stitch. A right side and a wrong side row knitting stitches as they appear.
Keep the pattern, altering cable and short row sessions (italic part above) until the spiral circumference covers all the top of the head. When you want the hat to go down straightly, stop knitting the short row sessions and keep the cable pattern. Remove the stitch markers and replace one of them on the stitch where you first turned your knitting. This will mark where this pattern will end. To keep the visual effect, start knitting the cable on a sequence of 4 from now on. Keep the 3 right side and the 3 wrong side rows in between.
Keep on knitting until desired height (covering all the head until half of forehead and until the neckline behind the head). End the spiral on the line of the stitch marker you last placed like this:
RS: knit the stitches as they appear until last 2 stitches, k3tog (2 stitches from your needle + picked up stitch from the border of the strip above). Be sure to knit when it’s a knitted stitch from the pattern and to purl when it is a purled stitch. Turn.
WS: k3tog or p3tog (picked up stitch from the border of the strip above + 2 stitches from your needle). Turn.
Repeat these 2 rows until there’s only one stitch left on your needle. It will be the last one from ribbon.
Leave the stitch on the needle and pick up stitches all around the hat’s circumference. In my hat, so it did not get too wide or too tight, I picked up three straps, one knot, three straps, one knot… Until the end.
Start first row of 2×2 ribbon on the first stitch you just picked up. Knit 7 rounds.
Buttonhole: ending 8th round, turn. Knit 9th on the wrong side. Turn.
Knit 10th round on the right side (actually, 9th and 10th became rows and not rounds). Go back to usual rounds. The buttonhole is done.
Knit another 6 rounds in a 2×2 ribbon. Bind off.
Finalization Sew the button and weave in ends. Block the hat. It’s all done!
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