Loom Knit Doll Hat Project - The Pinkie Pie

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).

The Pinkie Pie Hat

Although I'm starting out, as I always do, by saying that I'm making these hats to sell at a yard sale, this one will not be on the table.  My niece has been a My Little Pony fan since she was a baby (which just seems like a few weeks ago to me.)  Although we've already been through several incarnations of the toys and cartoons, old Pinkie Pie is still her favorite.  I hope she and her dolly will enjoy this creation!

I used Swiss darning again to create Pinkie Pie's eyes.  I think it turned out pretty well... except the hat is too tall.  I failed to allow for the fact that this hat does not have a broad doubled brim.  You may wish to make the  body of your hat ten rows or so shorter.


Pattern Information

Knitting Loom:  Knifty Knitter 24 peg "Preemie" loom


Yarn:  
     Color A:  Red Heart "White" #4 size yarn
     Color B:  Red Heart "Pale Pink" #4 size yarn 
     Color C:  Red Heart "Raspberry" #4 size yarn
     Color D:  Red Heart "Delft Blue" #4 size yarn 
     Color E:  Red Heart "Black" #4 size yarn

Skill Level: Intermediate

Abbreviations:
     k = knit
     p = purl

Instructions:

With Yarn Color A, cast on 24 pegs.

BRIM  
Rows 1-6:  knit to the end

BODY  
Switch to Yarn Color B

Rows 7-40: knit to the end

Bind off using gathered removal method.

To create the pony's "eyes":  Thread about 16" of Yarn Color A onto your plastic tapestry needle.  Follow these instructions for Swiss Darning:

Swiss Darning

Locate the center of the hat.  Move two rows over and follow this chart to create the pony's right eye:

Flip the chart to create the pony's left eye.



To make the pony's "ears":  Using Yarn Color B, cast on seven pegs.

Rows 1- 5: knit to the end of the row

Decrease size of ear by moving the loop on peg 1 to peg 2 and the loop on peg 7 to peg 6.

Rows 6-9: knit to the end of the row (on pegs 2 and 6, you will be knitting over 2 loops)

Decrease ear again by moving loop on peg 2 to peg 3 and the loop on peg 6 to peg 5

Rows 10 -13: knit to the end of the row (on pegs 3 and 5, you will be knitting over 2 loops)

Decrease by moving peg 3 to peg 4; knit over; then move peg 5 to peg 4; knit over. 

• Knit again.  
• Cut yarn, leaving around an 8" tail. 
• Remove from peg. Pull tail through loop and pull tight.
• Using a crochet hook, pull tail through the body of the ear.
• Thread tail into plastic tapestry needle. Use to sew ear to hat.

Repeat process to make and attach other ear.

Place hat back on the loom to add earflaps

To create the hat's earflaps:  Find the first row of stitches and place the loops of the first row back on the loom.  Be sure that the right side of the hat is facing out as in this photo.

Locate the spot that you wish to be the right side of the hat. Using Yarn Color A, cast on seven pegs over the the original first row of the hat.

Rows 1- 5: knit to the end of the row (The row in this case is the seven pegs you cast on over the original loops)

Decrease size of earflap by moving the loop on peg 1 to peg 2 and the loop on peg 7 to peg 6.

Earflap

Rows 6-9: knit to the end of the row (on pegs 2 and 6, you will be knitting over 2 loops)

Decrease earflap again by moving loop on peg 2 to peg 3 and the loop on peg 6 to peg 5

Rows 10 -13: knit to the end of the row (on pegs 3 and 5, you will be knitting over 2 loops)

Adding Ties to the Earflaps

Decrease by moving peg 3 to peg 4; knit over; then move peg 5 to peg 4; knit over. 

• Knit again.  
• Cut yarn, leaving around an 8" tail. 
• Remove from peg. Pull tail through loop and pull tight.

To make the ties for the earflap, cut a 16" strand of Yarn Color A. Thread through end of earflap.  Cut two 16" strands of Yarn Colors B and C. Thread through the end of the earflap.  Braid strands. Tie securely.


Repeat process on the other side of the loom for the other earflap.

To create pony's "mane":  I am using Renita Harvey's modified I-cord method of creating corkscrew tousles.  I recommend you watch her video, which can be found here:

 Renita Harvey's Corkscrew Tousle Video

The method is actually pretty simple, but is difficult to convey using conventional knitting notation.  In short, you use two pegs on your loom and wind your yarn in a figure 8 pattern.  You knit four stitches into the first peg and then anchor them by knitting a stitch into the second peg.  Be sure to pull the stitches into the second peg tight to aid the curling of the stitches.  When you are done, it also helps to twirl the spiral with your fingers to give it the shape you desire.  Here's a try at conveying this stitch using knitting notation:

Tie a slip knot in the yarn and place around peg 1
Wrap yarn in a counterclockwise direction around peg 2
Wrap yarn in a clockwise direction around peg 1

Row 1: k1, WYIF k1
Row 2:  ew3tog, k1

Rows 3- 24:  Repeat Rows 1 and 2

Rows 25:  k1, WYIF k1

Take loop off peg 1 and move to peg 2. Knit together.  Pull yarn off peg. Put tail of working yarn through the loop and tie off.

I made eight corkscrews for Pinkie Pie's mane.  You may wish to make even more.  Starting about an inch up from the bottom of the back of the hat, thread tails of corkscrew tousles through. Knot tails securely inside toboggan.