A bonnet for every little princess

By Linda Ca!les

This little bonnet will fit snugly
around your little one's head. The
hat is knitted in one piece, (plus
the tie cord) starting with the front
edge, and ending with a grafted
seam (or three-needle bind off)
down the centre back. The
bonnet is shaped using short
rows.

FINISHED SIZE:
To fit newborn, up to 40cm head
circumference.
YARN:
Adorn Silkymerino
(4ply, 50g,175m)
1 ball of 402 snow
NEEDLES:
60cm or 80cm circular 2.75mm
Extra needle for three-needle bind
off (optional: grafting is preferred)
Tapestry needle for grafting and
threading in ends
TENSION:
28 stitches and 56 rows per 10cm
over garter stitch

INSTRUCTIONS:
Front casing:
Cast on 90 stitches.
Row 1: knit
Row 2: purl
Row 3: K3, yo, K2tog, knit to last 5 stitches, K2tog, yo, K3
Row 4: purl
Rows 5 and 6: knit
Work six more rows in stocking stitch beginning with a knit row.

Fold the hem back along the garter ridge line, and hold the cast on edge
behind your live stitches.
Knit one row, catching each stitch together with its corresponding stitch
along the very edge of the cast on. (This is much better than sewing into
place, as it will be as stretchy as your knitting).

Set up row: K25, P3, K1, P3, K26, P3, K1, P3, K25

ABBREVIATIONS:
K: knit
P: purl
yo: yarn over
K2tog: knit the next two stitches
together
P2tog: purl the next two stitches
together
ssk: slip 2 stitches knit wise,
place them back on the left
needle, and knit into the back of
them
W3: "wrap 3": using the tip of your
right needle, lift the third stitch on
your left needle over the first two
stitches and off the needle. Now,
K1, yo, K1 those two stitches.
W&T: wrap and turn. Slip the next
stitch onto your right needle, bring
your yarn to the front (as if to purl)
then slip the stitch back to the left
needle. Turn and work the next
row.
A note about grafting:
On the garter section, make sure
you graft to look like garter stitch:
usually you will work the front
needle and back needle in
opposite ways. For garter
grafting, work them both as the
front needle ie: "knit" the first stitch
off and then "purl" the next stitch,
leaving it on the needle.

I added a couple of embroidered

stitches in the mock cable section,
to mimic the wrap along the line of
the graft.

Main body of hat:

Row 1: *K24, P1, W3, P1, W3, P1* repeat from * to * once, K24
Row 2: K25, P3, K1, P3, K26, P3, K1, P3, K25
Row 3: *K24, P1, K3, P1, K3, P1* repeat from * to * once, K24
Row 4: K25, P3, K1, P3, K26, P3, K1, P3, K25
Row 5: *K24, P1, W3, P1, W3, P1* repeat from * to * once, K16, W&T
Row 6: K17, P3, K1, P3, K26, P3, K1, P3, K17, W&T
Row 7: K16, *P1, K3, P1, K3, P1, K24* repeat from * to * once
Row 8: K25, P3, K1, P3, K26, P3, K1, P3, K25

Repeat these eight rows four more times, then rows 1-6 once (46 rows total)
Commence back of head:
Row 1: K16, P1, K3, P1, K3, P2tog, turn
Row 2: K1, P3, K1, P3, K25
Row 3: K24, P1, W3, P1, W3, P2tog, turn
Row 4: K1, P3, K1, P3, K25
Row 5: K24, P1, K3, P1, K3, P2tog, turn
Row 6: K1, P3, K1, P3, K25
Row 7: K24, P1, W3, P1, W3, P2tog, turn
Row 8: K1, P3, K1, P3, K17, W&T

Repeat these eight rows, then rows 1-7 once (23 rows total)
Cut your yarn (leaving a small tail to thread in afterwards).
Slip the next 12 stitches, then join in yarn to work the other side.

Row 1:
Row 2:
Row 3:
Row 4:
Row 5:
Row 6:
Row 7:
Row 8:

P1, K3, P1, K3, P1, K24

K25, P3, K1, P3, ssk
P1, W3, P1, W3, P1, K24
K25, P3, K1, P3, ssk
P1, K3, P1, K3, P1, K24
K25, P3, K1, P3, ssk
P1, W3, P1, W3, P1, K16, W&T
K17, P3, K1, P3, ssk

Repeat these eight rows two more times (24 rows total).
Cut your yarn, leaving about 40cm to use for grafting.

Graft these stitches together with the stitches from the first half of the back
of head. If you prefer, you could work a three needle bind off instead of
grafting, but this will not give such a seamless effect.

The tie:
Cast on 250 stitches. Knit two rows. Cast off

Thread in all your ends and, using a safety pin, thread your tie through the
front facing. You may like to stitch it in place on one side, so it can't pull out.