How to Knit a Hat - Continental Style

The winter in Norway is generally cold and dark, with snow or ice cold rain and few hours of daylight. So I love to knit hats, mittens and socks that will make the winter season cozy after all. In this tutorial I will show how to knit a hat using continental knitting style. If you are already a skilled knitter, you can simply follow the pattern.

For this hat you will meed:

-100g yarn (thick or bulky yarn will make a warm hat)

-Circular needles, 5-6mm, 40cm long

-Double pointed needles, 5-6mm

-Sewing needle, measure tape and marker

I have used Gjestal Glow yarn in grey. It´s acrylic yarn with reflecting thread incorporated in it. This will make you visible when crossing roads in the dark winter months in Norway!! You can also use your preferred yarn type and colour, as long as it is of similar thickness as this yarn.

The gauge of this yarn is 15 knitted stitches per 10cm when using 6mm needles, according to the producer.

Try to aim for something similar with the yarn thickness and needles. Do a test patch before you start doing the hat: Cast on 20 stitches. Knit all stitches. Turn and purl all stitches. Repeat these 2 rows a few times. Then measure that you have approximately 14-16 stitches (15 stitches would be perfect) per 10 cm of knitted work, measured horizontally on your patch. If the patch is very loose (looks like holes in it) you knit very softly, try smaller needles (eg. 5mm). If the patch is dense and almost impossible to move on the needles you knit very tight, try loosening the grip or use larger needles.

Try your best with the gauge, the hat is very flexible and will probably fit anyway.

This hat is size woman or man.

In continental knitting the yarn comes from the right side of the knitted work and goes to your left hand. With the yarn over your left index finger, the knitting goes quick and easy.

Here are some of the techniques you will need:

-Cast on: https://www.garnstudio.com/video.php?id=2&lang=no

-Knit: https://www.garnstudio.com/video.php?id=3&lang=no

-Purl: https://www.garnstudio.com/video.php?id=5&lang=no

-Knit two together: https://www.garnstudio.com/video.php?id=14&lang=no

-Purl two together: https://www.garnstudio.com/video.php?id=225&lang=n...

-Slip one stitch, then knit two together, lift the first stitch over the second stitch: https://www.garnstudio.com/video.php?id=234&lang=n...

There are many ways to cast on, here is the one I prefer.

Starting from the end of the bundle, I make a long tail. Tip: Cast on 10 stitches, unwrap them and measure how much yarn was needed to make them. Multiply this length to the number of stitches you need. Add a little extra so you have enough to weave in ends.

Make a slip knot, and put this loop on the knitting needle. Keep the long tail towards you. Then make stitches according to the video.

Cast on 63 stitches.

When you have the correct number of stitches on the circular knitting needle, you can start knitting in a round. Make sure the yarn goes from the right side to your left hand. The first stitch you knit will be the first stitch that was casted on.

Knit 1 stitch, purl 2 stitches. Repeat around. Soon you will see a rib pattern. This makes the hat flexible with a nice fit. The pattern will stretch out be more visible when the hat is worn.

If you run out of yarn, you simply stop knitting with this yarn, leaving a 12cm long end. Continue knitting as normal with a new bundle of yarn, but include a 12cm end before the first knitted stitch. These ends (old and new yarn) can be tied up in a temporary knot or bow, before they are weaved in eventually. Don't leave the knot, it could make the hat uncomfortable to wear.

Knit until the work measures 20 cm. Then it´s time to decrease the number of stitches and make the top. Note that I include a marker at this point, so I know when the round starts. The marker can be just a piece of string of left over yarn that makes a circle, or a safety pin. This is not knitted, but just moved from the left needle to the right needle. The first stitch to follow is the first stitch on the next round.

When the number of stitches decrease, I find it easier to use double pointed needles than a circular needle. I also include a marker so I know where the round starts.

You should have 63 stitches on the needles.

Row 1: (1 knit, 2 purl together) is repeated for all stitches. Now you have 42 stitches left.

Row 2: (1 knit, 1 purl), repeat around.

Row 3: (1 knit, 1 purl), repeat around.

Row 4: (Slip one stitch, 2 knit together, lift slipped stitch over the knitted stitch and then off the needle), repeat around. Now you have 28 stitches left.

Row 5: Knit all stitches.

Row 6: (2 knit together), repeat around. Now you have 14 stitches left.

Cut the yarn and use a sewing needle to pull the yarn through all the remaining stitches.

Now the hat is as good as finished.

Use a sewing needle to secure all loose ends, such as the starting thread, ends from where you changed yarn and the ending thread. If you want to include a pom pom, the ending thread is great for securing it firmly to the hat. The pom pom can be made with the same yarn, a different colour yarn or fake fur.

Enjoy your fabulous hat, or perhaps give it to a friend as a nice gift!