Santa's Helper Stocking Cap for 18-inch Doll

Free Doll Hat Knitting Pattern

Designed as part of the Santa's Helper Outfit (skirt here, jacket here), this knitted pattern is great for any outfit that needs longer stocking cap or night cap. The pom-pom is optional.

Skills Required/Techniques Used:
--Knit & purl, cast on & bind off
--Increasing: knit front and back (kfr&b)
--Decreasing: knit 2 together (k2tog)
--Making pom-poms
--Working in the round on double pointed needles (dpn)

Size: fits 18-inch dolls like American Girl, Our Generation and other dolls with similar body.

Materials: Lambs Pride Super Wash by Brown Sheep (affiliate link) Co, sport weight 100% wool yarn 180 yds (165 m)/ 50 g, main color (MC - red): 1/3 ball, small amount of contrast color (CC) - green.

Needles: double pointed needles (dpn) US # 2 (2.75mm) and US # 3 (3.25 mm) OR SIZE NEEDED TO OBTAIN GAUGE

Gauge: 24 sts x 32 rows = 10 x 10 cm (4" x 4") in stockinette st

Notions:
- 1 stitch marker
- Yarn needle
--Pom-pom maker
- Sewing needle and thread of color matching the yarn for attaching the pom-pom

Abbreviations:
dpn – double pointed needles
K – knit
P – purl
St, sts – stitch, stitches
co – cast on
RS – right side
WS – wrong side
kfr&b - knit the same st through front and back loop
k2tog - knit 2 together
Pattern Notes:

Stockinette in rounds: all rounds knit

1x1 Rib in rounds: all rounds *k1, p1 - repeat from * around


Short Overview of the Pattern:

The hat is worked bottom-up, seamlessly, in the round on dpn. First the 1 x 1 rib pattern is worked on smaller needles, then more sts are added and the hat is worked in stockinette on larger needles. At some point decreases are made every 8th row to shape the crown and tail of the hat.

Directions

With MC yarn and smaller needles cast on 64 sts, distribute them evenly on 4 needles, close into round taking care not to twist the sts. Continue working in rounds, place a marker at the beginning of the round.

Rounds 1-8: *k1, p1 - repeat around.

Change to needles of larger size

Round 9: *k3, kfr&b - repeat around = 80 sts

Rounds 10-11 - knit around, leave red yarn in the back, continue with green yarn.

Round 12, green yarn: knit around

Round 13, green yarn: purl around, either cut green yarn or leave in the back, continue with red yarn.

Round14, red yarn: knit around

Round15 (decrease round): *k8, k2tog - repeat from * 8 times = 72 sts

Rounds 16-19 - knit around. Leave the read yarn in he back, continue in with green yarn.

Rounds 20-21: repeat rounds 12-13, cut green yarn. Continue with red yarn to the end.

Round 22: knit around.

Round 23 (decrease round): *k7, k2tog - repeat from * 8 times = 64 sts

Rounds 24-30: knit around.

Round 31 (decrease round): *k6, k2tog - repeat from * 8 times = 56 sts

Rounds 32-38: knit around

Round 39 (decrease round): *k5, k2tog - repeat from * 8 times = 48 sts

Rounds 40-46 - knit around

Round 47 (decrease round): *k4, k2tog - repeat from * 8 times = 40 sts

Rounds 48-54 - knit around

Round 55 (decrease round): *k3, k2tog - repeat from * 8 times = 32 sts

Rounds 56-62 - knit around

Round 63 (decrease round): *k2, k2tog - repeat from * 8 times = 24 sts

Rounds 64-70 - knit around

Round 71 (decrease round): *k1, k2tog - repeat from * 8 times = 16 sts

Rounds 72-78 - knit around

Round 79 (decrease round): * k2tog - repeat from * 8 times = 8 sts

Rounds 80-84 - knit around

Cut yarn leaving 10" tail. Pull the tail through all the remaining sts and secure.

Finishing:

Weave in all yarn ends. Make a pom-pom from green yarn. Sew it onto the hat.

Have fun!