Here is a free knit pattern that might interest knitters who are opinionated, feisty, and scrappy. Based on my personal observations that would be all of them. Its a hat, just a plain ol’ hat, with secret in-your-face! messages stitched into them.

I had this super bulky yarn, and I knew I wanted to make hats. I knew I wanted them to have a little colorwork in them but not too much colorwork. I’d been thinking about that for a few days, kicking a few ideas around, and coming up with nothing much. Then I took some anti-histamines, got pretty high, and figured out what I wanted to do with my super bulky hats. (It could not be helped, honest. I had to take the anti-histamines because I was at work and my eyes were swelling shut. The getting high was completely expected. The colorwork idea was not.)

The idea? Use slip stitch colorwork to add Morse code to my knitting. The hat is mostly made in rounds, of course. The colorwork is done in short rows using a contrast color. Each short row spells out one word.

This one says “believe you can”.

This one says “prove them wrong”.

 

Once you’ve made one of these hats, or even just read through the pattern, you can come up with your own in-your-face! message to stitch in. Here is a link to the Morse Code Translator that I used to turn words into dashes and dots.

Headstrong – a free knit pattern

The yarn: I used Bernat Softee Chunky in two colors.

The needles: Use a US size 10 (6mm) for the brim and a US size 11 (8mm) for the body.

Stitch Key

• k – knit
• p- purl
• m1 – make one new stitch (use the backwards e-loop, its easy)
• slyb – slip a stitch with the working yarn held to the back
• slyf – slip a stitch with the working yarn held to the front
• k2tog – knit nest 2 stitches together

 

 

With Main Color and size 10 needles…

Cast On 50 stitches. Join to work in the round.

Rnds 1 – 8: *k3, p5* to end

Switch to US size 11 needles.

Rnd 9: k

Rnd 10: *k2, m1, k1, m1, k2, m1* to end (80 sts)

Rnds 11 & 12: k

Join in Contrast Color (but do not cut Main Color).

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For the “believe you can” hat:

with contrast color

Row 12a: k1, slyb1, k3, slyb3, k3, slyb1, k1, slyb3, k1, slyb1, k3, slyb1, k1, slyb1, k3   Stop. Do not finish the round. Turn the work so as to look at the Wrong Side.

Row 12b: All the stitches in contrast color… knit those. All the stitches in the main color… slip those with yarn held to the front until you are back at the beginning of round. Leave the Contrast Color strand hanging on the Wrong Side.

with Main Color

Rnd 13-15: k

with Contrast Color

Row 16a: k3, slyb1, k1, slyb1, k1, slyb3, k3, slyb1, k3, slyb1, k3, slyb3, k3, slyb1, k3, slyb1, k1, slyb1, k3 Stop. Do not finish the round. Turn the work so as to look at the Wrong Side.

Row 16b: same as Row 12b

with Main Color

Rnd 17-19: k

with Contrast Color

Row 20a: k1, slyb3, k3, slyb1, k1, slyb1, k1, slyb1, k1, slyb3, k1, slyb3, k1, slyb1, k1, slyb3, k1, slyb1, k1, slyb1, k3, slyb1, k1, slyb3, k1, slyb3, k1, slyb1, k1, slyb1, k1 Stop. Do not finish the round. Turn the work so as to look at the Wrong Side.

Row 20b: same as Row 12b

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For the “prove them wrong hat”

with contrast color

Row  k1, slyb1, k3, slyb1, k3, slyb3, k1, slyb1, k3, slyb3, k3, slyb1, k3, slyb1, k3, slyb3, k1, slyb1, k3, slyb1, k1, slyb3, k3, slyb1, k3, slyb1, k1 Stop. Do not finish the round. Turn the work so as to look at the Wrong Side.

Row 12b: All the stitches in contrast color… knit those. All the stitches in the main color… slip those with yarn held to the front until you are back at the beginning of round. Leave the Contrast Color strand hanging on the Wrong Side.

with Main Color

Rnd 13-15: k

with Contrast Color

Row 16a:k3, slyb1, k3, slyb3, k1, slyb3, k1, slyb1, k1, slyb1, k1, slyb1, k1 ,slyb3, k3 Stop. Do not finish the round. Turn the work so as to look at the Wrong Side.

Row 16b: same as Row 12b

with Main Color

Rnd 17-19: k

with Contrast Color

Row 20a: k1, slyb3, k3, slyb1, k1, slyb1, k1, slyb1, k1, slyb3, k3, slyb1, k3, slyb1, k3, slyb3, k1, slyb1, k3, slyb1, k1, slyb3, k1, slyb1, k3, slyb1, k3, slyb1, k1 Stop. Do not finish the round. Turn the work so as to look at the Wrong Side.

Row 20b: same as Row 12b

Cut Contrast Color

with Main Color

Rnd 21-23: k

Top Of Hat

Rnd 24: *k6, k2tog* to end (70 sts)

Rnd 25: k

Rnd 26: *k5, k2tog* to end (60 sts)

Rnd 27: k

Rnd 28: *k4, k2tog* to end (50 sts)

Rnd 29: k

Rnd 30: *k3, k2tog* to end (40 sts)

Rnd 31: k

Rnd 32: *k2, k2tog* to end (30 sts)

Rnd 33: k

Rnd 34: *k1, k2tog* to end (20 sts)

Rnd 35: k

Rnd 36: *k2tog* to end (10 sts)

 

Cut yarn and use a tapestry needle to pull the end through all remaining stitches. Weave in and enjoy your secret message hat!