If it's October, it's HATS!!

Do you remember the Madison Knitter’s Guild Charity Knitting Challenge? Our goal is to donate 500 hand knit items to local charities over the 2007-08 year. Through Pat Bernhardt’s already established contacts, we hope to provide new hats, mittens and scarves to children who do not have those items, despite the cold Madison winters.

For the Month of October, the MKG Charity Knitting Challenge Knit Along is HATS. Bring your completed hats to the October MKG meeting on October 8.

What kind of hats?

Tall hats, small hats, skinny hats, thick hats, simple hats, fancy hats, multi-colored hats, one color hats…….

Any kind of hats. We suggest making a child’s hat; there are too many children in Madison who do not have warm hats for the winter months. You could also make a chemo hat for those who, due to chemotherapy treatment, have lost their hair and need an attractive cover for their heads. Or, you could knit a newborn baby or premie hat. Elizabeth Zimmerman and Meg Swansen suggest knitting a hat as a swatch for a new project!! In this way, your produce a usable object!

Remember: To motivate and help MKG knitters, the MKG Board has designated a charity item of the month. However, you an always donate whatever item you wish, (including non-perishable food such as macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and spaghetti sauce). If you don’t have time to knit, purchase a hat to donate!

One easy hat pattern is below. Dozens of hat patterns can also be found on-line : www.knittingpatterncentral.com ,
Madison Knitters Guild patterns
Baby Hats
Knitty patterns
(for fun and trendy hat patterns--try the short row hat called "Tychus" or the Fair Isle chullo called "Vinter Lue.")
Fake Fair Isle Hat

Does this inspire you?
The hat on the bottom is the Fake Fair Isle hat, and the two tams are from our own Amy Anderson's pattern--Tam Tutorial.

Our MKG library has books featuring hats: look for “The Knit Hat Book” by Nicky Epstein, the wonderful “Hats On!” by Charlene Schurch, “Cats and Hats” by Vogue Knitting, and “Knit Hats!” by Gwen Steege.

Your favorite yarn shop can also provide assistance.

For those who want to plan ahead, the MKG-CKC suggested items for the future are: November: Kid’s Scarf; December: preemie or newborn baby hat; January: baby sweater; February: adult or child chemo hat; March: comfort shawl; April: kid’s hats; May: knitter’s choice. For these months the MKG newsletter will feature a pattern and pattern sources. Remember: you can knit any item for any month. Every month is “knitter’s choice.”

Hat Pattern

Instructions, worsted weight yarn
Worsted weight yarn is yarn with a label gauge of 4 to 4 1/2 stitches per inch, usually knitted on size 7 or 8 needles. It's the "standard" size most commonly available in crafts stores.

Body of cap:
Cast on 72 stitches and join into a circle, being careful not to twist.
Work one inch of K1P1 rib, then increase 8 stitches evenly spaced around, as described above. (80 sts.)
Work in stockinette until total length is about 4 1/2 or 5 inches. Add contrast stripes if you like, as described above.
Crown shaping:
Decrease round: *k 8, k2tog* around.
K 3 rounds.
Decrease round: *k 7, k2tog* around.
K 2 rounds.(64 sts)
Continue decreases as above, and finish off cap as described.

Copyright statement: This is an original design by Judy Gibson [date]. Permission is granted to print and use this pattern for charitable purposes, provided this notice is included. No commercial use or publication of this design--in hard copy or electronic form--are permitted. Contact: jgibson@cts.com.