Cunning Hat

This hat is based on the Jayne Cobb received from his mother in the television series Firefly.  This hat is the main reason my husband wanted me to learn to knit.  He's wanted one of these since he first saw the episode where Jayne receives the hat, The Message.

This hat was my second knitting project.  I had no idea what I was doing when I went into it, but I learned what I was doing as I went.  It was a bit stressful figuring out on my own how circular needles worked.  My sister-in-law gave me a bit of direction, something like "just keep knitting through", but I didn't really understand how that worked.  I definitely have the circular thing down, now.  In fact--I've made 3 of these hats.  I made one for my husband, one for my brother-in-law, and one for my newest sister-in-law, wife of said brother-in-law.

The pattern I used, which was a free pattern, is no longer posted online (the domain it was posted on no longer exists), but was designed by Carlynn Field.  Thankfully I printed it out, so I can give you a basic rundown of what was in the pattern.  I will probably later go back and type it all over again, giving her credit. And HERE is a link to the old pattern page via Internet Archive Wayback Machine.

Project Details

• Needles = Size US 10.5 in 16" circular
• Yarn = Lion Brand Vanna's Choice Terracotta (134), Mustard (158) and Rust (135)
• CO 84 stitches in Terracotta, PM, join in round; work 1x1 ribbing for 3 rows, switch to StSt for 15 rows
• Switch to Mustard, continue in StSt for 24 rows, then decrease, K2tog for 3 rows (knitting leftovers alone), then cut yarn and weave through open stitches with tapestry needle or crochet hook and tie off
• at the hem on the Terracotta section, count 24 PM, count 18 PM, count 24 PM
• Pick up 24 between first and second marker, purl on earflap using Rust; work in StSt for 18 rows; decrease for 6 rows: first row P2tog, P until last 2, P2tog, next row K2tog, K until last 2, K2tog, continue in StSt pattern; BO remaining 12 stitches then cut yarn, knot, and leave tail hanging
• Pick up 24 between markers on opposite side, follow same earflap procedure
• Make 2 pieces of fringe (in Rust) to place on bottom of each earflap
• Make 4 inch pompom with Rust as main colour with bits of Mustard and Terracotta, then sew to top of hat.  I made pompom on cardboard using this procedure: Rust-wrap 35 times, Mustard-wrap 15 times, Terracotta-wrap 15 times (alternating between wrappings so the colours are distributed)
• NOTE: The earflaps do curl up on themselves quite a bit.  I used an iron, a damp washcloth, and bursts of steam to flatten them out (rather, my mother-in-law did it for me).  We held the earflaps flat to the ironing board during the steaming process using straight pins.