Loom Knit Doll Hat Project -- Field of Florettes

I've got a goal to have knitted at least fifty doll hats within the next fifty days to sell at a huge neighborhood yard sale in the fall.  To my surprise, I found there were very few doll hat patterns available for free on the internet.  This is a pity since a doll hat is a very good project for a beginning loomer and it isn't always obvious how a full-sized hat pattern should be changed to be appropriate for a doll.  Therefore, I've decided to share my notes on creating and converting hat patterns to fit 18" dolls (such as the American Girl, Journey Girl, Our Generation, or My Life dolls).

Field of Florettes - A Florette Stitch Hat

Well, here we are at the next-to-the-last installment of my loom knit doll hat project, and I choose a stitch that I really need to do a couple more times before I post... However, since it is the next-to-last hat, we're just going to have to go with it as-is...

The Florette stitch is a bobble stitch.  As I said the last time we tried one of these, there are all sorts of bobbles.  The knit stitch that I converted this from called for a more complicated bobble.  If I were to do this stitch again, I might try to do more complex version.  The e-wrap bobbles I substituted are big and fluffy, but leave gaps that don't look very good when the toboggan is stretched over the head.

In the majority of the stitches I have used for my doll hats, the pattern repeats every four stitches.  This pattern, however, repeats every eight stitches.  This does make it a little too big to show nicely on a very small hat.
Pattern Information

Knitting Loom:  Knifty Knitter 24 peg "Preemie" loom

Yarn:  
     Color A:  Red Heart "Sage" #4 size yarn

Skill Level: Intermediate

Abbreviations:
     k = knit
     p = purl
     bb = bobble (e-wrap five times on the same stitch)

Instructions:

With Yarn Color A, cast on 24 pegs.

BRIM Row 1: knit to the end

Rows 2-20:  Repeat Row 1

When you've completed Row 20, find the first stitch (the end of your yarn should still be dangling from it). Loop the first stitch back up over Peg #1.  Continue around the loom until the entire first row is looped back up onto the loom. Knit the last row of stitches over the first row of stitches.

BODY  
Row 21: *p3,k1,p4* Repeat to the end

Rows 22,24, and 26:  *k4,p1,k3* Repeat to the end

Row 23: *p3, k1, p4* Repeat to the end 

Row 25: *p2, bb, k1, bb, p3* Repeat to the end 

Row 27: *p3, bb, p4* Repeat to the end 
Row 28: Knit to the end  

Rows 29 and 31: *k1, p7* Repeat to the end

Rows 30, 32, and 34: *p1, k7* Repeat to the end 

Row 33: k1, bb, p5, then *bb, k1, bb, p5* Repeat to the end

Row 35: bb, p7, then *p3, bb, p5* Repeat to the end 
Row 36: Knit to the end  
Rows 37-45:  Repeat Rows 21-28 
 
Bind off using gathered removal method.

24 peg loom marked with tape

To create a tousle, wind Yarn A around three fingers around 20 times.  Tie a short piece of yarn tightly around the middle of this bundle of yarn.  Cut the looped ends of the yarn and trim to the desired shape.  Sew to the top of your toboggan using your yarn and a tapestry needle.


TIP:  To make keeping track of where you are in the pattern easier, I suggest you employ some method of marking your loom.  In the past, I have used colored "Rainbow Loom" sized rubber bands, but found that I frequently get the bands caught up into my stitches.  I recommend you use duct tape to mark off every fourth stitch as I have done here.