I have been looking for a pumpkin hat pattern for my girls and I just wasn't finding one that was everything I wanted. None were quite perfect so I came up with one that works for me. First I made a hat for my younger daughter and then improved on it when I made a hat for my older girl.
The yarn that I used was Cascade Yarns Cash Vero Aran. It is amazingly buttery soft, perfect for hats for little heads. The colors I chose are Rust for the pumpkin and Light Olive for the stem and leaf. The leaf pattern I used is the just a leaf pattern.
Gauge is approximately 5 spi in stockinette.
To get that gauge I used size 6 needles, both circular needles and dpns. I used size 7 dpns to knit the leaf.
Abbreviations:
k: knit
p: purl
ssk: slip one stitch as if to knit, slip second stitch as if to purl, knit these two stitches together through the back loops
k2tog: knit 2 stitches together as one
Instructions:
Cast on in a multiple of 10. For my gauge of 5 spi I would cast on 60 for a 0-3 month size, 70 for 3-12 month, 80 for toddler, 90 for child and 100 to make an adult size.
Join in the round and *k8, p2* around. Repeat this row until your hat is the desired length. When in doubt make it longer rather than shorter because you can always roll the brim up. I suggest about 4.5" for 0-3 month size, 5" for 3-12 month, 6" for toddler and 7+" for the child and adult sizes.
Decrease as follows.
Row 1: *ssk, k4, k2tog, p2* repeat around
Row 2: *k6, p2* repeat around
Row 3: *ssk, k2, k2tog, p2* repeat around
Row 4: *k4, p2* repeat around
Row 5: *ssk, k2tog, p2* repeat aroundRow 6: Switch to stem color and knit around.
Row 7: *k2, k2tog* repeat around
Row 8: knit around
Row 9: *k1, k2tog* repeat around
Row 10: knit around
Row 11: k2tog around until only 4 stitches remain.
Knit in i-cord until stem is desired length, approximately 2 inches. On last row of i-cord knit the 2 middle stitches together to decrease to a 3 stitch i-cord. At this point you can add the leaf from the pattern linked above. After binding off the leaf, you can attach the base of the leaf to the base of the stem making a loop of the i-cord as seen in the picture below. If you choose not to add a leaf to the stem then just end i-cord stem at desired length, cut yarn and thread through stitches and secure yarn to inside of hat.
And modeled by my older daughter.
