Seeking test knitters of all gender, colors, (dis)abilities, and backgrounds. (Deadline can be flexible)
Get ready for one giant short row! Working seamlessly from the bottom up, you’ll use short rows to shape the stripes into gently undulating waves. And bonus: zero purl stitches go into the making of this hat!
Gauge (in garter stitch worked flat):
On smaller needles: 28 sts is 4”/10 cm.
On larger needles: 24 sts and 56 rows is 4”/10 cm.
Skills:
Knitters should be comfortable working in the round, and working with DPNs or magic loop for small circumferences. Short Row novices welcome!
Needles (use size to obtain gauge):
US2 (2.75 mm): 16”/ 40 cm circulars.
US4 (3.5 mm): 16”/ 40 cm circulars and preferred style for working small circumferences.
Yarn:
A total of 210 (240, 265) yards/ 191 (217, 242) m of fingering weight in 2-15 colorways.
I used Cat Tails from Kitty Pride Fibers (75% superwash merino, 25% nylon) in 7 colorways from the Find Your Joy colorway collection. I also recommend Kitty Pride’s Abyssinian fingering, Persian Sock or Kitten Sock… and Chastity’s Diversity Collection of colorways is gorgeous, too! This is a fantastic opportunity to dive into your scrap bin.
I used the following yardages (rounded up) for each stripe on my size 19”/48 cm sample:
1 (brim): 46 yds/ 42 m
2-8 (body): 27 yds/ 24 m each
9 & 10: 10 yds/ 9 m each
11: 9 yds/ 8 m
12: 8 yds/ 7 m
13: 6 yds/ 5 m
14 & 15: 4 yds/ 3 m each
Other Materials:
13 stitch markers
2 unique stitch markers for beginning of round (BoR) and center (CM)
1 locking stitch marker to mark RS (optional)
Your usual knit kit with scissors, tapestry needle, etc.
Notes:
This pattern is written. Charts are included to help you visualize the short row pattern, and should be used in conjunction with the written instructions.
Inspiration: MARSHA “Pay It No Mind” JOHNSON was a Black revolutionary who was among the first to fight back against police at Stonewall Inn in 1969 – the event that sparked annual LGBTQIA+ Pride events across the world. Marsha went on to help form STAR: Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries. She was a performer, and toured with the performance group Hot Peaches. She organized AIDS vigils, navigated mental illness, and was a mother to a generation of trans and gender-nonconforming people in New York City. She was also one of many black trans people to be found dead, in her case, in the Hudson River after Gay Pride in 1992. I imagine that being around Marsha would have felt like being encircled in a fierce hug! This hat pays homage to her loving legacy.
