Loom Knit Doll Hat Project -- The Strawberry-Lime

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).

This little hat is composed of a pattern that will (I hope!) give the loomer an easy introduction to "Fair Isle" style knitting.

The Strawberry-Lime

Fair Isle knitting gets its name from a tiny island in the northern part of Scotland.  It uses multiple colors.  For this introductory project, we're going to be very unambitious and use only three colors.

As you can see from the picture, this hat was what made be decide that I was making my spiral tousles much too long! 

Pattern Information

Knitting Loom:  Knifty Knitter 24 peg "Preemie" loom

Yarn:  
     Color A:  Red Heart "Raspberry" #4 size yarn
     Color B:  Red Heart "White" #4 size yarn
     Color C:  Red Heart "Olive" #4 size yarn

Skill Level: Intermediate

Abbreviations:
     k = knit
     p = purl
     ew = e-wrap
     skip = pass the working yarn behind the peg without knitting or purling

Instructions:

With Yarn Color A, cast on 24 pegs.

BRIM  
Row 1:  Knit to 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 
Rows 21 - 28: knit to the end

Drop Yarn Color A inside the loom and Switch to Yarn Color B
Row 29:  *k1, skip1* Repeat to the end

Drop Yarn Color B inside the loom and Switch to Yarn Color A
Row 30:  *skip 1, k1* Repeat to the end 

Drop Yarn Color A inside the loom and Switch to Yarn Color B
Row 31:  *k1, skip1* Repeat to the end

Drop Yarn Color B inside the loom and Switch to Yarn Color A
Row 32:  *skip 1, k1* Repeat to the end 

Drop Yarn Color A inside the loom and Switch to Yarn Color B
Row 33:  *skip 1, k1* Repeat to the end

Drop Yarn Color B inside the loom and Switch to Yarn Color A
Row 34:  *k1, skip 1* Repeat to the end 

Drop Yarn Color A inside the loom and Switch to Yarn Color B
Row 35:  *skip 1, k1* Repeat to the end

Drop Yarn Color B inside the loom and Switch to Yarn Color A
Row 36:  *k1, skip 1* Repeat to the end

Tie off and cut Yarn Color A and Switch to Yarn Color B
Rows 37 - 44: knit to the end

Drop Yarn Color B inside the loom and Switch to Yarn Color C
Row 45:  *k1, skip1* Repeat to the end

Drop Yarn Color C inside the loom and Switch to Yarn Color B
Row 46:  *skip 1, k1* Repeat to the end 

Drop Yarn Color B inside the loom and Switch to Yarn Color C
Row 47:  *k1, skip1* Repeat to the end

Drop Yarn Color C inside the loom and Switch to Yarn Color B
Row 48:  *skip 1, k1* Repeat to the end 

Drop Yarn Color A inside the loom and Switch to Yarn Color B
Row 49:  *skip 1, k1* Repeat to the end

Drop Yarn Color B inside the loom and Switch to Yarn Color A
Row 50:  *k1, skip 1* Repeat to the end 

Drop Yarn Color B inside the loom and Switch to Yarn Color C
Row 51:  *skip 1, k1* Repeat to the end

Drop Yarn Color C inside the loom and Switch to Yarn Color B
Row 52:  *k1, skip 1* Repeat to the end 

Tie off and cut Yarn Color B and Switch to Yarn Color C

Rows 53 - 62: knit to the end

Bind off using gathered removal method.

To create a corkscrew tousle:  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.  Okay, 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.

Thread tails of corkscrew tousles through top of toboggan. Knot tails securely inside toboggan.




TIP
This pattern was designed to be made with many different colors of scrap yarn. I strongly suggest that for the doll-sized version of this hat you pull off a few yards of yarn and wind them into a ball as if it was scrap.  The pattern switches color frequently and asks you to drop the yarn you are not using through the loom to wait its turn.  Pulling a skein of yarn back and forth through a "preemie" sized loom is no fun, let me tell you!