Banded Beanie with Decreased Crown FREE LOOM KNIT PATTERN!

Well I finally sat down and wrote my own pattern!  It is now published on my website and Ravelry. I will post it here as well.  I have also made a video of it and will be releasing it in parts (UPDATE 5/31 added videos at bottom of post!).  I hope you all like it.  I started with the basic beanie.  I added the brim for finishing.  Adding a few horizontal bands for fun I think it looks nice. But the biggest thing is the decrease top or "crown" of the hat.  Usually the basic loom knit beanies are very bulky but this one is nice and clean. 

Here is the pattern.  Keep watching for the videos, Happy Looming!!''


Banded Beanie with Decreased Crown
by Kristen at GoodKnit Kisses

Skill Level: Beginner, level up

You will need:
*2 balls of main color (white) worsted weight
*1 ball of 2nd color (pink) worsted weight
*loom knitting hook
*crochet hook (J or K)
*round 24 peg loom (I used the Knifty Knitter or KK in blue)
Note: You can adjust the pattern for a larger hat by adding more rows of color or bands till you get the size you desire. Note to adjust for the rows at the top for decreasing.

We will use the E-wrap or Twisted Knit Stitch (also called TBL through the back loop) for all stitches. Feel free to change the stitches and make it your own.  I’m keeping it basic but adding the banding for fun.

(Watch http://www.youtube.com/goodknitkisses for video tutorials on this hat)

*Color & Alternates: Please note that you can skip the brim for a rolled look and leave out rows 2-5 (4 rows total) The E-wrap is a stockinette and the stitches will roll if a brim is not created on the hat or a use a Garter Stitch Pattern for the brim. This pattern can also be done in a solid or variegated yarn without changing color.  Use 2-3 strands of yarn and knit till desired length, then skip to the DECREASED CROWN section.

Abbreviations: KO = Knit offEW = E-wrap

CAST ON: (Click for VIDEO of PART 1)
1.Cast on to KK with 1 strand of each color (1 white & 1 pink) in the E-wrap method.  Place your slipknot on peg 1 and let the tail fall inside the loom.  This will get wrapped up inside the brim or you can wrap it on your cast on pegs. Cast on wraps all pegs one time all the way around the loom and then wrap around again.  Knit off (KO) which is lifting the bottom 2 loops over the top two loops (the pink & white).  Your cast on row is round 1 or row 1.

MAKING THE BRIM:
2. Rows 2-9: EW
3.Take the first row the loose stitches and place them back on the pegs.  Be sure you are following the line of the stitches back up and not twisting them to the left or right.  KO

MAIN HAT BODY: (Click for VIDEO of PART 2)
4.Rows 10-12: EW
5.CHANGE COLORS:  tie on your second ball of white yarn to the pink strand and cut the pink. Now you have 2 strands of white.
6.Rows 13-16: EW – makes 1st white “band”
7.ADD COLOR: Either tie on the pink to one of the white strands or make a slip knot and add the pink on peg 1. You will have 3 strands on your loom.  *ALTERNATE I did this for a small fade from white into two color or you can go ahead and cut off one ball of white.
8.Row 17: EW
9.TAKE OUT COLOR: Cut off one of the white strands leaving 1 pink and one white on the loom.  Wrap the tail end on the loom.
10.Rows 18-20: EW
11.CHANGE COLOR: Tie on white and cut off pink, wrapping in tail
12.Rows 21-23: EW – makes smaller 2nd white “band”
13.ADD Color: Tie on Pink strand and leave all 3 strands on for the rest of the hat.  This masks holes in the top when decreasing.
14.Rows 24-26: EW (Note my hat is now about 5 ½” long before decreasing the crown.  Add rows here if you want longer length.)

DECREASE & CAST OFF: (Click for VIDEO of PART 3)
15.We are going to divide our loom visually into 4 sections (6 pegs in each section for a 24 peg loom). In round 1 of this section we will move the 2nd peg loop over to the 1st peg.  Do not KO at this time.  Move to the next section and do this again. Repeat 2 more times.  Now KO.  Wrap all remaining pegs again & KO. This completes hat Row 27. (You should have 20 pegs remaining).
16.Now take peg 4 over to peg 3 and wait to KO.  Repeat for all 4 sections. KO all four pegs.  Wrap all remaining pegs & KO. This complete Row 28. (You should have 16 pegs remaining).
17.Now take peg 6 over to peg 5 and wait to KO.  Repeat for all 4 sections. KO all four pegs.  Wrap all remaining pegs & KO.  This complete Row 29. (You should have 12 pegs remaining).
18. CAST OFF with draw string method.  I don’t use a tapestry needle here but you can.  Leave the balls of yarn attached & wrap the loom 2 times all the way around.  Cut off the strands from the balls of yarn.
19.Start to the left of the peg where the working yarn is coming out of; Leaving the yarn attached take your working yarn under the loop on the peg & with your loom tool reach under the loop & scoop out the working yarns (like a purl) continue pulling all the extra yarn through the loop.  LEAVE the loop on the peg. WEAVING IN THE LOOSE YARNS TO MAKE A DRAWSTRING.
20.Move to the next loop to the left and pull the working yarns through again and leave loop on the peg. Continue until ALL pegs have the working strands woven through, including the beginning loom the strands came out of.
21.Take all loops off of the loom & pull the drawstring. Feed the extra through the top & turn your hat inside out.  Using a crochet hook loop the extra through a few spots tying off to secure.  Cut off the access.
22.Weave in all loose strands from changing colors with hook & turn inside out. 


©2011 GoodKnit Kisses (Original publish date May 23, 2011)