Last month I re-opened my long-dormant Etsy shop to sell pussy hats. I missed the immediate gratification of the quick and simple Pussyhat Project, I’d been meaning to re-open an Etsy shop so that I use the seller tools I work on all day, and I thought it would be fun to donate the proceeds from my sales to charities matching the symbolism of the hats.
In February, I sold 9 pink pussy hats (only one of which was purchased by someone I know!) and donated almost $200 to Planned Parenthood. This month I’ve added a few additional styles, including two blue-and-green pussy hats for the Earth Day Science March or the Climate Change March. The proceeds for those hats are being donated to Earthjustice, an environmental law organization that’s helped to defend our environment from a number of threats, including the Dakota Access Pipeline.
Today I got my first request for the pattern I’m using from an Etsy shopper. I slightly modified the official Pussyhat Project pattern to be knit in the round, so I’m writing up my versions here so they can be shared freely by fellow knitters.
Worsted Weight
This is the pattern I follow using Sugar N Cream’s cotton yarn and other worsted weight yarns.
Sizes:
- Small: 19″-22″ circumference. 7″ height.
- Large: 20″-26″ circumference. 7.5″ height.
Materials:
- Size 7 circular needles on a 12″ cable
- One extra size 7 needle. It can be straight, double-pointed, or circular.
- Sugar N Cream cotton yarn (1 skein for small, 2 for large) or other worsted yarn of your choice
Cast on 80 stitches for a small hat or 100 stitches for a large hat. Join, being careful to avoid twisted stitches, and work in K2P2 ribbing for 16 rows for a small hat or 20 rows for a large hat. Knit in stockinette for 26 rows for a small hat or 29 rows for a large hat.
Turn the hat inside-out, so the reverse stockinette is facing you. Pull the ball of yarn through the center of your needles so that the end of yarn that goes to the ball falls outside of the work. Slip half of the stitches (40 for a small hat, 50 for a large hat) onto your extra needle and do a three-needle bind-off by using the far end of the original circular needle (or a fourth size 7 needle if you prefer) to knit together the active stitches from each needle. Read a more detailed description of a three-needle bind-off with pictures.
Weave in the ends from the bind-off and the cast-on ends.
Super Bulky Weight
This is the pattern I follow using Wool-Ease Thick & Quick.
Sizes:
- Small: 19″-22″ circumference. 7″ height.
- Large: 20″-26″ circumference. 7.5″ height.
Materials:
- Size 13 circular needles on a 12″ cable
- One extra size 13 needle. It can be straight, double-pointed, or circular.
- 1 skein of Wool-Ease Thick & Quick or other super bulky of your choice
Cast on 48 stitches for a small hat or 56 stitches for a large hat. Join, being careful to avoid twisted stitches, and work in K2P2 ribbing for 10 rows for a small hat or 12 rows for a large hat. Knit in stockinette for 17 rows for a small hat or 18 rows for a large hat.
Turn the hat inside-out, so the reverse stockinette is facing you. Pull the ball of yarn through the center of your needles so that the end of yarn that goes to the ball falls outside of the work. Slip half of the stitches (24 for a small hat, 28 for a large hat) onto your extra needle and do a three-needle bind-off by using the far end of the original circular needle (or a fourth size 13 needle if you prefer) to knit together the active stitches from each needle. Read a more detailed description of a three-needle bind-off with pictures.
Weave in the ends from the bind-off and the cast-on ends.