Becky’s
Preemie Fruit Orchard Hat
copyright Becky 2005
Materials:
Size 5 double
point needles (I like the flex ones
by:
Bryspun called Bry-Flex)
Baby Yarn in
fruit color of choice:
Lemon Yellow (I like to use TLC Baby or Red
Heart Soft Baby)
Worsted Weight
Brown/Green
(Caron Simply Soft or TLC work great)
Special Notes:
This is for a preemie size hat, 11 inches in
circumference. I will give directions
for the Lemon Hat. With the TLC or Red
Heart baby sport weight yarn you can get about 12-15 hats/skein. You will need yellow, lime green and brown
for the lemon, you can get the sky blue to make a blueberry hat and for
apple/pumpkin/squash hats you will need to use a worsted weight or
sport weight
yarn (if using worsted weight yarn or sport weight only cast on 14
sts/needle). I have a preference for the
Caron Simply
Soft and TLC. I can make one hat
from
start to finish in just under an hour and a half.
Directions:
On size 5 dpn’s using baby sport weight yarn cast
on 54
stitches (dividing up into 18 sts/needle).
Work in knit (stockingette is automatic on dpn’s) stitch for
approximately 4 inches. Begin
decreasing for the crown as follows:
K 7, k 2 tog
K 6, k 2 tog
K 5, k 2 tog
K 4, k 2 tog
K 3, k 2 tog
K 2, k 2 tog
K 1, k 2 tog
To Make Stem:
Switch to brown yarn for the next decrease row
(you should
have 4 sts on each needle for a total of 12 sts now).
Be sure to wrap your yarns or even tie a knot on the underside
to
secure at this point. K 2 tog all the
way around then transfer all 6 sts to one dpn.
Begin working in an I cord for the next 1 ¼ inches. To do this simply knit the first row as normal, then slide the sts from the left to the right side of the dpn and and knit the next row, then slide the sts back to the right again, and keep repeating. The trick is to NOT turn your work, keep sliding until your stem is the desired length then cut a 6-12 inch tail, thread with a tapestry needle, give the end a couple of tugs to even out the I cord then pull needle through all 6 sts, poke needle through stem and secure loose ends on underside of hat.
To make Leaves:
With green and size G crochet hook, chain 8, slip
st in 2nd
st from hook, sc next st, hdc in next st, dc once in each of next 3 st,
ch 2
and slip st in beginning chain. Turn
and working in unused loops of base row, ch 2, dc in first 3 sts, hdc
in next
st, sc in next st, slip in end of first row.
Make as many leaves as desired.
With same color yarn as leaves securely sew where desired, tuck
in ends
underneath and hat is complete.
To make Pumpkin
Spirals:
With green and size G crochet hook, chain 15, 2 sc
in 2nd
chain from hook, 3 sc in all remaining chains, finish off.
You should have about a 2 ½ - 3 inch
spiral. I make 2 for preemie hats and 4
for full term hats (1-2 for each side), you could do any number that
appeals to
you. I just take the long strings from
the beginning and end and pull them underneath with the hook and tie in
square
knots and cut about ¼ inch above the knot to finish.
You could also sew in the ends.
I
donate my hats
to
the Sacred Heart Hospital NICU in Pensacola, FL. This
pattern was inspired by several out there, but this is one I
had to adapt and figure out by myself to make preemie sized. Try
to donate some to charity if you have
the chance.