Below, a close pattern with a fairisle band and wild tassel

(chart HERE)

KNITTING METHOD: To get the size you want you must to knit it from top down. It can be knit in the round, starting with dpn’s and then changing to circ. needles, or flat. In that version, please add two selvedge sts for seams. Construction is based on four gores. At bottom, two of them will be the earflaps. Chart shows half pattern.

VARIATIONS IN STYLE: (1) Watch cap: follow the chart. (2) Medium pointed: Make the gores increases every 3rd row (flat knitters notice you’ll need to knit increases on WS rows). (3) "Authentic" pointed Bolivian chullo: make the gores increases every 4th row. Want an ethnical look? Add geometric fairisle motifs in the straight sector after finishing the crown. You can find many Christmas/children's motifs in my website, for free.

DIRETIONS: Cast on 8 sts (10 for flat knitting), place a marker at beg of the round and work in the round. CO row is the first one shown in the chart. BO row is chartered too. Notice you’ll bind off in P. Inc as shown in chart until you reach the desired circumference. End with the crown. Knit straight until you reach the desired depth for the hat (not including the five garter st rows). Knit until the 4th row of them. Now, you will bind off for face and back neck edges, remaining the sts for the earflaps. Each of them must have ¼ of the total # of sts on the needles minus 1 (minus 3 sts for those knitting flat). Place markers to center them correctly according to shown in chart. 2002 Note: If you don't feel comfortable starting to working the round with so few sts, you can make an I-cord on 4 sts for about an inch and then beg to work in the round inc 4 sts evenly, ie, K1, inc 1, K1, inc 1, etc.until you have 8 sts on needles.

Next row (bind off in P - BO row shown in chart): BO half back neck opening until first marker, work the sts of the first earflap as chartered, BO central sts, repeat the first row of the second earflap, BO second half of back neck. Cut yarn.

Earflaps: Attach yarn to the beg of the first earflap. Now, you’ll work back and forth, starting on WS and following the second row of the earflap. Leave the sts of the second earflap on the needle or place them on a holder (or work both together if you could attach a second ball of yarn). Make decreases as shown. Medium yarn weights will work well ending with 9 sts. If using a bulky yarn knit until remain 7, or 5 sts (you decide!). 9 sts was choosen to help with braid tassels but ... Remember bind-row row is shown in chart. BO rem 9 sts but DO NOT cut the yarn. Pull the last st making a long loop (about one and half the length you want the braid and end tassel). Using a crochet hook, pick a new loop in the next st, the same length the prior one and rep until you have 9 loops. Cut yarn and darn in the end. Divide these 9 loops (actually 18 strands) into three sets of three loops. Make the braid. Leave about 1 ½ inch for end tassel and fasten tightly the braid. Hidden the fasten darn ends into the tassel and cut the edges, opening the loops. Work the second earflap the same way. Flat knitters sew the seam at back using mattress stitch. Embellish the top as you prefer: nothing, I-cords, pom-pom, etc.

This pattern was created for the KnitList Christmas Gifts/1999.

© Flor, 1999.