Top Hat Pattern for Snowman

I finally finished the top hat for the snowman. I apologize for the delay! I got caught up into other projects ... such as starting the Knitted Farmyard (but I'll describe that another day)! Anyhow, the top hat is very easy. (Did you notice? He's finally got a face! But I'm not sure I did the right thing ... Do you think he needs a more traditional smile with "pieces" of coal instead of a line? AAACKKK!) I'd love some opinions, if you've got the time.

Top Hat for Snowman

copyright 2007 Anita M. Wheeless

Use a size US 10 or 10 1/2 needle and cast on 84 stitches with Lopi lite black or two strands of Cascade 220 black ... or any 100% wool (NOT superwash, of course!) yarn

Divide onto 3 size US 8 double-pointed needles by purling 28 stitches onto each needle. Put a stitch marker so you can remember your starting point. Join the round and purl for the next three or four rounds until you have a nice brim. You can decide how wide you want to make it by purling more rounds (or not).

THEN, Knit 2 tog all the way around each needle so that you reduce your size by 1/2. There should now be 14 stitches on each needle.

Now, knit until it measures (without brim) about 3 1/2-4 inches tall. (Or continue knitting and make it even taller!)

NEXT k2 tog, k4, k2 tog, k4, k2 tog on each needle

NEXT k2 tog, k3, k2 tog, k2, k2 tog on each needle

NEXT k2 tog, k1, k2 tog, k1, k2 tog on each needle

THEN k2 tog, k1, k2 tog

FINALLY k2 tog all the way around

Cut your yarn, leaving about six inches and thread it through a darning or embroidery needle and then run that through the remaining stitches; pull tightly. Take needle and go down through the top of the hat and either weave in the bit of yarn left over underneath or knot off underneath.

Place hat in lingerie bag (oh, remove stitch marker first)! And then felt as per the instructions given for the felted snowman.

Once the hat is sized to your liking, take it out and rinse it off. Pat it dry (or roll in a towel). Meanwhile, put a plastic bag or plastic wrap over a can of vegetables, soup or dogfood (to prevent the can from rusting onto your hat), and then pull the hat down on top of the can. This will give the top hat part the "tall" look. Fix the brim by flattening it out between your fingers all the way around until it looks the way you want it. A large part of felting is making sure the piece looks like you want it before it dries. Make sure you use the right thing to shape it. If you put this hat on a rounded "mold" like the bottom of a custard dish or a Downey Ball, for instance, it will take on the rounded shape and look completely different!

Let it stay on the can until the hat is completely dry. Remove and place on your snowman's head!

As always, if you run into any strange bits or something I've written doesn't make sense, please email me and I'll help! If anyone wants to "test knit" and send me their photo, I'll be happy to post it!

Thank you for trying my patterns!