Icelandic Cats in a Hat
By Jill Montgomery

Size: One size fits all. Head Circumference 22”/56cm

Yarn: 1000 yd/lb. (2010 m/kg), 12 wraps/in (19/4 cm). Susan Mongold’s gorgeous Icelandic fleece, 2ply yarn; about 2oz each black and white and about 20 yards of a contrasting gray. (I used some leftover Border Leicester two ply somewhat heavier weight). I prepared the white yarn after scouring by hand flicking lightly to open ends of locks (tog) without getting rid of thel undercoat then machine carded in very small batches once. The black was mostly thel. And the contrasting texture worked well. I hand teased it and machine carded it once.

Gauge: Over stockinette st 6 sts = 1inch

Needles: Circular needles, 16 in (40cm) long, sizes 3 (3.25 mm) and 4

(3.5 mm); dpns. Size 4 (3.5 mm) or size to reach gauge given above.

Instructions:

Border: With circular needle size 3 (3.25 mm) cast on 132 sts in white. Join, being careful not to twist, and work 6 rnds st st. Working with black and white continue in K1 P1 ribbing 5 rnds (white for K and black for P). Change to larger circular needle:

Hat:

Rnd 1: K black

Rnd 2: P Black

Rnd 3: K Black

Rnd 4: P Black

Rnd 5: K Black

Rnds: 6-25: Work Chart in colors as charted, carrying both colors. If the pattern charted reaches beyond 7 stitches it is useful to twist the carried color behind, or add a filler dot of the carried color to support the carried yarn. I am not terribly particular about coming out even in design repeats so you will notice a large “left-over” space after 3 ½ repeats of cat duo. I just filled this spot with random filler sts but for the neater knitter spacing the patterns is probably a better solution.

Rnd 26: P one rnd in white

Rnd 27: K one rnd in white

Crown:  Changing to dpn when too few sts to continue on circular needles.

Rnd 1: With black. *K22 place marker; repeat from * 5 more times.

Rnd 2-3: Knit all sts.

Dec rnds 4: *K2tog, K until two sts before marker and ssk; repeat from * 5 more times.

Alternate rnds of K with decrease rnds until 12 stitches remain on needles. Knit one rnd. Draw yarn through sts on needles using tapestry needle twice. Pull through to inside of hat. Weave through to finish off.

Finishing: I wet block this hat by dipping in a warm bath, rolling in towel and leaving overnight pulled into top hat shape with a desert plate or salad dish slipped into the crown. The whole hat is then supported on a tall jar and shaped with your hands. Is this hard to picture?

Email if any problems: jillian@crocker.com

Cat Chart:

since 1-6-02