the blue blog patterns: team germany hat

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happy olympic knitting!

team germany hat

Inspired by hats seen on German fans at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. After seeing a sea of German fans wearing these hats on tv, we noticed German lugers with similarly styled helmets and even a brimmed version on one of the German downhill skiers.

This hat reproduces the stripes on the German flag but could easily be worked in other colors to represent different countries. The bottom color is a deep hem, making the hat doubly warm over the ears.

Size
toddler (child, women's, men's)

Measurements
circumference: approx. 18" (20", 22", 24")
length: approx. 6 1/2" (7 1/2", 8 1/2", 9")

Materials
- Color 1: 1 ball Berroco Pure Merino, mimosa gold #8562
- Color 2: 1/2 ball Berroco Pure Merino, cardinal red #8555
- Color 3: 1/2 ball Berroco Pure Merino, black magic #8534
(if you're substituting, you'll need about 80 yards (color 1), 40 yards (color2), and 60 yards (color 3) of similar aran weight cotton or wool yarn)

- size US8/5mm 16" circular needles and double-pointed needles
- stitch marker
- tapestry needle for weaving in ends

Gauge
18 sts and 25 rows = 4"/10cm in stockinette

Instructions
With yellow (color 1), cast on 80 (88, 96, 104) stitches. Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist stitches and knit 10 (12, 13, 14) rounds. Purl next round for turning round. Knit 10 (12, 13, 14) rounds.
Fold the hem to the inside along the turning round so that it lays flat and even inside the hat. Knit one more round with yellow (color 1), knitting each stitch together with a stitch from the cast on edge of the hat. This joins the hem and saves you the trouble of seaming later on, but if knitting the hem together here seems intimidating, you can whipstitch the hem later.

Switch to red (color 2) and knit 11 (13, 14, 15) rounds.
Switch to black (color 3) and knit 8 (10, 14, 15) rounds.

Begin decreases for the top:
Rnd 1: *Knit 6, k2tog; repeat from * to end of rnd - 70 (77, 84, 91) sts.
Rnd 2: Knit all stitches.
Rnd 3: *K5, k2tog; repeat from * to end of rnd - 60 (66, 72, 78) sts.
Rnd 4: Knit all stitches.
Rnd 5: *K4, k2tog; repeat from * to end of rnd - 50 (55, 60, 65) sts.
Rnd 6: Knit all stitches.
Rnd 7: *K3, k2tog; repeat from * to end of rnd - 40 (44, 48, 52) sts.
Rnd 8: Knit all stitches, switching to double pointed needles as you do.
Rnd 9: *K2, k2tog; repeat from * to end of rnd - 30 (33, 36, 39) sts.
Rnd 10: *K1, k2tog; repeat from * to end of rnd - 20 (22, 24, 26) sts.
Rnd 11: K2tog to end of rnd - 10 (11, 12, 13) sts.
Continue to k2tog until 8 (9, 8, 9) sts remain.

Finishing:
Cut yarn leaving an 8" tail. Thread yarn on to tapestry needle and thread through remaining sts. Pull top of hat closed, bring yarn to the inside and weave in all ends. (Whipstitch hem closed, if necessary.)

Put on hat and root on your team!!