Carri Hammett - Lovable Knits for Babies and Toddlers: Complete Instructions for 7 Projects

Here is the list of standard abbreviations used for knitting. Until you can readily identify them, keep the list handy whenever you knit.

2-st RT	two-stitch right twist
4-st RKC	four-stitch right knit cross
6-st RKC	six-stitch right knit cross
BOR	beginning of round
cm	centimeter
dpn(s)	double pointed needles
g	gram
inc	increase (lifted increase)
K, k	knit
k2tog	knit two together
k3tog	knit three together
kf&b	knit front and back
LYS	local yarn shop
m	meter
M1L	make one left
M1LP	make one left - purl
M1R	make one right
M1RP	make one right - purl
P, p	purl
p2tog	purl two together
p3tog	purl three together
pf&b	purl front and back
pm	place marker
psso	pass slipped stitch over
rm	remove marker
rs	right side
ws	wrong side
sl	slip
sm	slip marker
ssk	slip, slip, knit
SSP	Slip Stitch Pattern
st	stitch
sts	stitches
wyib	with yarn in back
wyif	with yarn in front
yo	yarnover
* *	repeat instructions between * as directed
[ ]	repeat instructions enclosed by brackets as directed

The shape of this hat will remind you of a hot air balloon. The cute pointed tip is repeated in the mittens, too. The no-thumb mittens are easy to put on a baby. Youll find that the superwash wool is amazingly soft and perfectly suitable for even the youngest babies.

Any worsted weight yarn would be suitable for this pattern. GAUGE 19 sts = 4" (10 cm) in stockinette stitch The gauge is the same for both the hat and the mittens.YARN Medium weight smooth yarn; the approximate yardage for each size is shown in the charts NEEDLES AND NOTIONS For HAT: US size 7 (4.5 mm) 16" (40 cm) circular needle* or size required to achieve gauge US size 6 (4 mm) 16" (40 cm) circular needle* (or one size smaller than size used to achieve gauge) For HAT and MITTENS: US size 7 (4.5 mm) double-pointed needles or size required to achieve gauge FOR MITTENS: US size 6 (4 mm) double-pointed needles (or one size smaller than size used to achieve gauge) *Smaller size hats can be worked on a 12" (30 cm) circular needle or entirely with double-pointed needles. Optional Magic Loop: circular needle in sizes above, at least 40" (101 cm) long for HAT and at least 32" (81 cm) long for MITTENS Circular stitch marker Small stitch holder (or waste yarn) for MITTENS Yarn needle for weaving in ends HOT AIR BALLOON HAT: Size, Finished Dimensions, and Yardage

HOT AIR BALLOON HAT CAST ON STITCHES AND BEGIN KNITTING Using smaller circular needle, cast on 54 (66, 78) stitches. Place BOR marker and join in the round being careful not to twist. Round 1: *K3, p3*; repeat from * to * to end of round. Repeat round 1 until length from cast-on row is 1" (2.5 cm).

Change to larger needles and adjust stitch count as follows: Round 1 size 1 only: [K26, kf&b] twice. Round 1 size 2 only: Knit. Round 1 size 3 only: [K37, k2tog] twice. There should be: 56 (66, 76 sts). Round 2: Knit. Repeat round 2 until length from cast-on edge is 4 1/2" (5 1/2", 6 1/2") [11.5 (14, 16.5) cm].

SHAPE TOP Work decreases to shape the crown of the hat. Notice that the larger sizes require more rows to decrease their greater number of stitches. If you are making one of the smaller sizes then skip the beginning rows that dont apply to your hat. Change to DPNs when the stitches will no longer fit comfortably around the circular needle. Round 1 for size 3 only: *K17, k2tog*; repeat from * to * to end of round72 sts remain. Round 3 for size 2 only: [K31, k2tog] twice64 sts remain. Round 3 for size 3 only: Knit. Round 4 for sizes 2 and 3: *K6, k2tog*; repeat from * to * to end of round56 sts remain. Round 5 for sizes 2 and 3: Knit. Round 5 for sizes 2 and 3: Knit.

From this point all sizes are worked the same. Round 6: *K5, k2tog*; repeat from * to * to end of round48 sts remain. Rounds 78: Knit. Round 9: *K4, k2tog*; repeat from * to * to end of round40 sts remain. Rounds 1011: Knit. Rounds 1314: Knit. Round 15: *K2, k2tog*; repeat from * to * to end of round24 sts remain. Rounds 1618: Knit. Round 19: *K1, k2tog*; repeat from * to * to end of round16 sts remain. Rounds 2022: Knit. Round 23: *K2tog*; repeat from * to * to end of round8 sts remain. Round 24: Knit. Round 25: K2tog until 4 sts remain.