It's a fairly quick, easy project. Just read on for the pattern:
The hat is knit on circular needles using the magic loop technique. You could, of course, use double pointed needles if you preferred. The wool I've used is the same as that used for the scarf: SMC super fine merino opera double knitting wool. This knits up on 4 mm circular needles giving a tension of 41 stitches x 30 rows on a 10 cm x 10 cm swatch, and you'll need 100 g (250 metres/ 272 yards)
Cast on 158 stitches. Join the circle with a nice, tight first stitch, being careful not to twist the knitting. Knit 3 rows of knit 1, purl 1 rib.
Now we're going to carry on in the Aran pattern.
The front of the hat is made up of a panel of double cable twists with 23 stitches, a central panel with the tree of life thread knit over 28 stitches, and another panel of double cable twists with 23 stitches. The back carries on with 4 panels of double cable twists with 21 stitches each. These are all knit sequentially in the round.
The tables below show how these panels knit. As with the scarf you need to start with row 1 on each panel, and continue directly on to the next panel, all the way round the hat. I like to mark the beginning and end of each panel section with some contrasting wool so that I know exactly where I am, and to make accounting for all the stitches that little bit easier. Knitting in the round throws up the special dilemma of not being able to easily spot the beginning and end of the row, so I mark the beginning with wool in a different colour - green in the photo below - with contrasting pinks to mark where each panel section begins and ends.
So to recap: the Aran pattern is worked in the round with the following panels:
[23 stitch d.c. twist],[28 stitch t of l],[23 stitch d.c. twist],[21 stitch d.c. twist]/ [21 stitch d.c. twist],[21 stitch d.c. twist],[21 stitch d.c. twist],[21 stitch d.c. twist]
Table 1: 23 stitch double cable twist:
The stitch numbers appear along the bottom row in navy blue, and the row numbers in red along the right hand margin. Remember you're knitting in the round so you'll always be travelling from right to left, stitches 1 to 23 sequentially.
p = purl
k = knit
c = cable 6 front i.e. place first 3 stitches on the cable needle and hold at the front of the work. Knit the second three stitches from the left needle, then knit the first three stitches from the cable needle.
Table 2: 28 stitch thread of life central front panel:
Additional key explanations:
b = cable 4 back i.e. place first two stitches on the cable needle and hold at the back of the work. Knit second two stitches from the left-hand needle, then knit the first two stitches from the cable needle.
l = cable 4 to the left i.e. place first 2 stitches on the cable needle and hold at the front of the work, purl next two stitches from the left needle, and then knit the first two stitches from the cable needle.
r = cable 4 to the right i.e. place first 2 stitches on the cable needle and hold at the back of the work, knit next two stitches from the left needle and then purl the first two stitches from the cable needle.
Table 3: 21 stitch double cable twists across the back:
Row 1: Knit 2 together all the way round (79 stitches)
Row 2: Knit
Row 3: Knit 2 together all the way round to the last stitch, knit 1 (39 stitches)
Row 4: Knit
Row 5: Knit 2 together all the way round to the last stitch, knit 1 (19 stitches)
Snip the wool, and, using a darning needle, draw it through all of the remaining stitches. Pull tight, fasten and darn in the loose ends.
Sew on a pom pom, and you're done!
Ta-dah! Enjoy your hat. <Perfect camouflage for a bad-hair day!>
All the best for now,
Bonny x