Christmas Lotus Hat

Hello knitters! I present to you all, my last Christmas project for this year! To be honest, this is the first hat I designed for Christmas this year, and I gave the original version to my adorable niece –who wears it every day to school!– but I never got around to write down the pattern for it until now. 

The pattern for this hat is so bright and nice, it is a simple type of mosaic pattern, and needs multiples of four stitches count by four rounds. I don't know what the exact name for this pattern is, but when I look at it I see lotus flowers (not to be mistaken for the lotus flower ‘stitch’). I also made a video on my YouTube channel to show you the cool twist in making it. I hope you find it easy to knit after watching, and I’d love to hear your opinions in the comments. It's been a challenging year for everyone now, so I leave you this last Christmas post, with my sincerest wishes that 2022 would be a better year, filled with love, health, and knitting! Merry Christmas everyone, and happy new year!!

Skill level: Intermediate

Materials:

• Yarn: Alize Baby Best, (90% acrylic, 10% bamboo), 3.35 oz (100 g), 262 yards (240 m), in the following colors and quantities: "light cream" 62 (1 skein), "green" 41 (1 skein), "cherry" 390 (1 skein), and "dark yellow" 216 (1 skein).
• Circular knitting needles, 16" (40 cm) long, sizes US 6 (4 mm) and US 7 (4.5 mm).
• Double pointed needles (DPNs) set, size US 7 (4.5 mm).
• Tapestry needle.
• Stitch marker.

Sizes and measurements: 

• Size S: head circumference = 18" (46 cm), height = 8" (20 cm).
• Size M: head circumference = 20" (51 cm), height = 8.5" (21.5 cm).
• Size L: head circumference = 22" (56 cm), height = 9" (23 cm).

Gauge: 18 sts and 24 rounds = 4"x 4" (10 cm x 10 cm) in stockinette stitch.

Yardage: 

• Size S: 162 - 164 yards (148- 150 m), approx.
• Size M: 175- 177 yards (160- 162 m), approx. 
• Size L: 191- 193 yards (175- 177 m), approx.

Knitting Terms:

• st: stitch.
• sts: stitches.
• sl st: slip stitch.
• k: knit.
• p: purl.
• k2tog: knit two stitches together.

Instructions:

With light cream yarn and 4 mm circular knitting needles, cast on 88 (96,108) sts. Join in the round. Don't know how to join in the round? here is a short tutorial on how to do it (from 0:26 - 1:15 min): 

 

Put a ring stitch marker at the beginning of rounds, work as follows:

Rib round: k 1, p 1, repeat to end.

Repeat the rib round 10 (10, 12) times. Change to 4.5 mm circular needles while knitting one round, then knit 3 (3, 5) times more rounds. Join cherry yarn and work the pattern as follows:

General Pattern:

Note: Always sl st through back loop.

With cherry yarn knit 2 rounds, with light cream work as follows:

Round 1: k 1, insert needle in the second st on the left needle, two rounds below (in the light cream round), yo, pull the needle out of the st with yo, sl st 3, pass the yo over the 3 slipped sts, repeat to end.

Round 2: k 2, sl st 1, k 1, repeat to end. Cut cherry yarn.

Knit 4 rounds.

Repeat the general pattern using green yarn once, yellow yarn once.

Join green yarn and work as follows:

Round 1: with green yarn k 1, with light cream k 3, repeat to end.

Round 2: with green yarn k 2, with light cream k 2, with green yarn k 1, repeat to end. Cut light cream yarn.

Decreasing rounds:

Round 1: k2tog, k 9 (10, 10), repeat to end. [80 (88, 99) sts]

Round 2: k to end.

Round 3: k2tog, k 8 (9, 9), repeat to end. [72 (80, 90) sts]

Round 4: k to end.

Round 5: k2tog, k 7 (8, 8), repeat to end. [64 (72, 81) sts]

Round 6: k to end.

Round 7: k2tog, k 6 (7, 7), repeat to end. [56 (64, 72) sts]

Round 8: k to end.

Round 9: k2tog, k 5 (6, 6), repeat to end. [48 (56, 63) sts]

Round 10: k to end.

Round 11: k2tog, k 4 (5, 5), repeat to end. [40 (48, 54) sts]

Round 12: k to end.

Round 13: k2tog, k 3 (4, 4), repeat to end. [32 (40, 45) sts]

For Size S:

Change to DPNs needles.

Round 14: k2tog, k 2, repeat to end. 24 sts 

Round 15: k2tog, k 1, repeat to end. 16 sts

Round 16: k2tog, repeat to end. 8 sts

Cut yarn, leaving a 6" (15 cm) long yarn tail, pull it through all sts and tighten tog. Weave in loose ends.

For Size M:

Change to DPNs needles.

Round 14: k to end.

Round 15: k2tog, k 3, repeat to end. (32 sts)

Round 16:k2tog, k 2, repeat to end. (24 sts)

Round 17:k2tog, k 1, repeat to end. (16 sts)

Round 18: k2tog, repeat to end. (8 sts)

Cut yarn leaving a 6" (15 cm) long yarn tail, pull it through all sts and tighten tog. Weave in loose ends.

For Size L:

Round 14: k to end.

Round 15: k2tog, k 3, repeat to end. (36 sts) 

Round 16: k to end.

Round 17: k2tog, k 2, repeat to end. (27 sts)

Change to DPNs needles.

Round 18: k to end.

Round 19: k2tog, k 1, repeat to end. (18 sts)

Round 20: k2tog, repeat to end. (9 sts)

Cut yarn, leaving a 6" (15 cm) long yarn tail, pull it through all sts and tighten tog. Weave in loose ends.

With light cream and green yarn, make a 2.5" (6 cm) diameter pompom and fix it tight on top.

Lastly, feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions or find something confusing in the pattern.

Happy crocheting/knitting! follow me on Instagram @wiams_crafts and Twitter @wiamscrafts to see my upcoming projects.