Ski Cap

Size (not stretched): 8 inches high laying on its side (without rolled-up bottom); band 20 inches around (stretches a little)
Colors: less than 1 3.5-ounce skeins each Olympic Blue, Jockey Red (Red Heart Classic)
Pattern: My own (see below)
Hook: H
Date: October 2004

These are the new versions of the hats for Eddie's boys (both have 20-inch heads). The pattern is one I made up on the fly. The hat can be made to fit any size head by starting with 1-2 less or more sc for Row 2 (remember that the stitch totals for each row will then be different and you may need to adjust the ends of some rows - try it!).

The wide stripes are 1 row sc, 1 row dc, 1 row sc. The narrow stripes are 2 rows sc. Some of these rows are increasing rows to widen the hat. Some are rows to increase the length (height) of the hat.

Choose whatever colors you want for A and B. Or, use different colors for each stripe. Or, use the same color for the entire hat. Or... Use your imagination!

Color A (wide stripes).
Color B (narrow stripes).

Do not turn unless directed to. When changing colors, finish off leaving about a 6-inch end to weave in (i.e., do not carry the yarn to the start of the next row to use that color).

First wide stripe at top of cap:

Row 1: ch 4, join with sl st in first ch
Row 2: ch 1, 8 sc in ring, join with sl st in first sc (8 sts)
Row 3: ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in joining st, 2 dc in next sc and each sc around, join with sl st in top of first dc (16 sts)
Row 4: ch 1, 2 sc in each dc around, join with sl st in first sc (32 sts) (if desired, change color while joining)

First narrow stripe:

Row 5: ch 1, sc in joining st, sc in next st, 2 sc in next st, (sc in next st, sc in next st, 2 sc in next st) 9 times, sc in next st, 2 sc in last st, join with sl st in first sc (43 sts)
Row 6: ch 1, sc in each st around, join with sl st in first sc (43 sts) (if desired, change color while joining)

Wide stripe:

Row 7: ch 1, sc in each st around, join with sl st in first sc (43 sts)
Row 8: ch 3 (first dc), dc in joining st, dc in next st, 2 dc in next st, (dc in next st, dc in next st, 2 dc in next st) 14 times, dc in last st, join with sl st in top of first dc (57 sts)
Row 9: ch 1, sc in each st around, join with sl st in first sc (57 sts) (if desired, change color while joining)

Narrow stripe:

Row 10: ch 1, sc in each st around, join with sl st in first sc (57 sts)
Row 11: repeat Row 10 (57 sts) (if desired, change color while joining)

Wide stripe:

Row 12: ch 1, sc in each st around, join with sl st in first sc (57 sts)
Row 13: ch 3 (first dc), dc in each st around, join with sl st in top of first dc (57 sts)
Row 14: ch 1, sc in each st around, join with sl st in first sc (57 sts) (if desired, change color while joining)

Now, repeat Rows 10-14 until the cap is almost the length you want, depending on whether you want the cap to fold over to form a band or not. (For an 8-inch tall hat, I made 24 rows, ending with a wide stripe.)

Then, finish the hat with:

Repeat Rows 10-11 (narrow stripe)
With Color A: sc in each st around, join with sl st in first sc
Continue with Color A: sl st in each st around, join with sl st and change color to B
With Color B: Turn, sl st in each st around, join with sl st, finish off

The last two rows of slip stitches tighten the band a little (if it's too tight, try those two rows again with a looser gauge or a larger hook). Weave in yarn ends.

(Let me know if these directions need any corrections! Thanks!)