Portable Knitting: Batman Knit Hat

Materials

Cascade 220 (Dark Blue, Gold, Black)
#7 circular needles
#7 double pointed needles

Gauge

5 stitches to the inch on #7

Cast On

The hat begins knit flat by casting on 96 stitches with the dark blue base color; K2P2 rib for eight (8) rows. Next, knit three (3) rows in stockinette to start the body of the hat.

Intarsia Batman Sign

Click image to open chart in a separate window

Switch to circular needles, begin pattern rows in intarsia following chart (28 stitches wide). Center pattern by starting the gold on the 43 stitch, or center pattern on midway point. Knit this section back and forth as a flat knit.

Once intarsia section is complete, join the work in the round on the DP needles and continue knitting with dark blue until hat measures 7.5 inches (19 cm) from cast-on edge.

Finishing the Crown

To finish the crown and form the ears you will use a combination of kitchener stitch across the crown center and knitted cast off (three needle cast-off) at each end.

While still on the double-pointed needles, fold the hat in half front-to-back. Starting at the left side you will transfer your stitches onto regular straight needles, ending with two parallel needles of stitches with the needle pointing towards the right, ready for joining.

Do a knitted cast-off* of the first 11 stitches. Next, kitchener the center 26 stitches together. Transfer the final 11 stitches onto double-pointed needles and working from the left side in, do a knitted cast-off. Bind off.

To Finish Ears

Fold the cast off section so it is perpendicular to the kitchener seam. Using a tapestry needle, sew through the cast off seam, about 3 or 4 stitches up, to join it to the outside edge of the ear. Next sew the inside 4 knitted cast-off stitches to the adjacent top seam of the hat to secure ears upright. Repeat for other ear.

Sew seam up back of the body section and weave ends in to finish.

* Knitted cast-off: With two parallel straight needles containing stitches, you use a third needle to start the stitch through the first stitch on each needle and complete a regular knit stitch. After you knit two stitches in this manner you pass the first stitch over the second stitch to cast-off.