Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend. I am suffering a little from turkey hangover, but that is a good thing!
If you read my last post, I included a hat I had just knit for my DD, called the Rikke Hat. So cute and so stylish. I had a skein of Madelinetosh DK in Tart (can’t resist Tart!) sitting around so I decided to make another: my Red Rikke.
In the original pattern, you knit garter stitch in the round: knit one round, purl one round. When you make the transition, you end up with what looks like a seam. I have no problem with that — it looks like a very perfect, neat seamline. BUT, in a hat, it means that (like any seamed hat) you kind of have to be careful to center the seam when you put it on. This can be annoying. So, I tried something different on my Red Rikke.
I used a slip stitch at the transition point (which is the center spoke in the photo). The transition is hiding behind the slipped stitch. To do this I worked the pattern as follows:
Round 1: knit
Round 2: p12, slip 1 as to purl with yarn in back
The last st of the second round is the slipped stitch. I continued in this manner – changing needle size when indicated – until the desired length (~6 1/2 inches for my hat), ending with Round 2.
Decreases
I did centered double decreases every 4th row as follows:
Round 1: knit to 1 stitch before slipped st, slip 2 sts tog as to knit (like a k2tog but just slip the sts to the right needle), k1, pass the 2 slipped sts over (the last decrease will use the first st of the next round)
Round 2 & 4: p to slipped st, slip 1 as to purl with yarn in back
Round 3: knit
I continued in this manner until there were 24 sts remaining, and then I did the last decrease on the next knit row…8 sts.
The advantage is that you can throw the hat on any which way and it should still look good. The hat is still wet or I would try to get a photo on someone’s head. Not mine, though. I have a very large head and I am afraid to stretch it out! I made it kind of small so it will fit snuggly. It can always be stretched but if it is too big, too bad.
Feel free to use this modification if you like.
PS — It appears from looking at Ravelry that quite a few have used this little mod!! 3/10/2024
Beautiful mod.! You know I will have to try it! I cannot imagine when you got this finished after just seeing you on Friday!
Comment by Kathy W. — November 27, 2011 @ 3:04 pm
I love your modification of the hat, will have to try it.
Comment by folksmith — November 27, 2011 @ 5:00 pm
It would be fun to try one where you alternate sections of garter, stockinette and reverse stockinette. That would take care of the “seam” problem too. Very cute!
Comment by twinsetjan — November 27, 2011 @ 7:00 pm
Love it – very clever.
Comment by Wendy O — November 28, 2011 @ 10:08 am
LOVE this hat – LOVE the mods you made (especially the reduced slouched!) – am casting on today – thanks so much!
Comment by Maureen — November 28, 2011 @ 11:01 am
Thanks. i can’t wait to try it.
Comment by Robin F. — November 28, 2011 @ 11:08 am
Wow — that hat is stunning in the Tart. Thanks for the modification details — now I’m even more tempted to make one for my own daughter!
Comment by Kym — November 29, 2011 @ 9:15 am
I love it! I will put this one near the top of the que- Thanks!
Comment by Trista — December 1, 2011 @ 5:10 pm
oh man! I finished two of these hats (gave one away) and I think I’m going to rip mine out and do it your way. It’s too slouchy as written – I feel kinda unsure how to wear it right. Love your mods!
Comment by bethh — December 8, 2011 @ 3:20 pm
Love the mods. Genius and it adds some style. Thank you.
Comment by Judy — December 11, 2011 @ 8:30 am
I love the way you turn that hat! it suits me better like that! many thanks…
Comment by trèfles — August 2, 2012 @ 6:02 am
Just finding this modification now and I had to write to thank you! I’ve made this hat several times and am growing tired of the “seam” in the back, so imagine my delight when I happened upon your modification. Lovely solution! Thanks.
Comment by Jen — July 27, 2013 @ 4:20 pm
I was on Ravelry looking at the Rikke Hats for my newly acquired yarn from the great KL stash. I found a hat I loved with mods so I dove deeper into FO of Jasper-Knits and found she made a few with the same mods. On her original Rikke with mods I found a link crediting you – and Voilà here I am!
Comment by Linda V — March 9, 2024 @ 9:06 am