Jester Hat

Shown upside down to illustrate the points!

This page has a pattern generator (aka program) to create a pattern to help you knit a jester hat by hand or machine. You can make your hat in any yarn; just enter the gauge in the program, and you'll get the pattern you need.

Main site, blog (read the latest), ski hat, raspberry beret, crocheted tam, hat collection and Poncho & Cape collection.

You must set your browser to run javascript and to accept cookies to run this program. With some browsers, the address bar should also read "http://www.thedietdiary" at the beginning. If the www's aren't there, stick them in!

Characteristics of the hat:

Knit from bottom up. If you knit stripes, they would go around the head.
Hung hem if machine knit, ribbed hem if hand knit.
You may vary the band size to fit any head.
You may vary the length of the two points from a minimum knittable length to as long as you like.
Directions are provided for both MK (machine knit) and HK (hand knit.)
This shape could also be seamed to form a stocking cap.

Remember: Like all patterns spit out by my generators, this is mostly shaping directions. The purpose of the generators is to let you be creative, while eliminating the need to do pesky calculations. This generator will let you make exactly the cape shown, but I encourage you to add your own touches.

Lucia

Patterns are worth something. Custom patterns should be worth even more. This is sort of "shareware". If you knit one of these, please send me a $3 donation. (Pictures are welcome too!)

Enter Data for Your Hat

You must modify the following data to match the gauge and shape you want! Just change the numbers; it recalculates automatically.

Replace My Gauge Swatch Information Your Gauge Swatch Information
Note your machine setting on your directions in pen. You must use the same machine setting when knitting the swatch!
Stitches per inch:	The gauge swatch should be knit in the stitch you plan to use for the main part of the hat, using the needles or tension setting for that part of the hat. Ribbing and/or hem will be knit tighter. You don't need a gauge swatch for that.
Rows per inch:

Replace My Hat Shape Parameters with Yours
Remember to click on the page or hit your tab key after entering your final value to force calculation!
Data to enter.	Information.
Hat circumference you want: inches.	Most people like their hats a bit snug, so enter your head circumference minus a bit. I subtract about 5%. My value is for medium woman's head. Men's heads are 1-2" bigger. Kids are 2-3" smaller. It's best to measure heads. They vary a lot. But you can also look at this list of head sizes.
Desired total hat length: inches	You can make the hat as long as you like! The program will prevent you choosing a value that is too short to knit; it will also round the length upward for easy shaping. (Your hat will be: inches long.

Results: Your Hat Pattern

Don't try to edit anything below this point. If you want to change them, change values in the table above. This is a program; so, please read through al the directions and make sure no negative numbers appear. (I try to think about where they might appear and create a warning box, but I don't always think of them all.)

Yarn Estimate:

This depends on your yarn. Hats rarely take more than 4 ounces.

Knitting Instructions.

Some abbreviations: RC = Row count read out. COR= Carriage on Right. COL = Carriage on Left. SSK = Slip-Slip-Knit (This is a type of decrease.) K2tog = knit 2 together.

Main Hat Piece.

Hand knit:
You need two needle diameters; the smaller one is for the ribbing; the larger is for the hat. The gauge swatch should have been knit in stockinette, using the larger diameter needles. The needles need to be long enough to hold all the stitches. That's about it!

Using smaller diameter needles, cast on stitches, knit 1 x 1 rib until hat measures inches from cast on. (Feel free to round!)
Change to larger diameter needles and begin to knit in stockinette. If you want stripes, alternate colors. Knit until hat measures inches from cast on.
Take off half the stitches and place them on a stitch holder. You will work on one side only to make one of the jester points.
Knit rows.
Knit rows.
Next row: K1, K2 tog, K1, K2tog, Knit stitches, SSK, K1, SSK, K1. (You will have decreased 4 stitches across the row.)
Repeat steps 5 and 6, decreasing the number of stitches in the "boxes" by 4 every time you repeat instruction #5.
When there are 11 or fewer stitches left when you are ready to repeat #5, break yarn, and thread through the live stitches.
Pick up stitches on holder, repeat from step 4.
Follow final directions to assemble the hat.

Machine knit.
You will use two machine tension settings. The tighter setting is for the hem, the looser setting is for the hat. The gauge swatch should have been knit at the looser tension.

Raise needles to work position (B on a Brother). Then, move every other needle out of work (A on a Brother).
Cast on with waste yarn. Knit a few rows end with COR. You should be knitting every other needle.
Thread machine with fashion yarn, and set to your carriage tension one number setting tighter than you want for the hat. (This should be a lower number on most machines.)
You will knit a hem.

Knit two rows.
Bring out of work needles into work.
Knit to RC = .
Hang hem by placing bottoms of first row of stitches in needle hooks. You will be filling every other needle.
Pull needles out, set carriage to "N", push work against gate pegs, knit across carefully. This seals the hem. COR.

Set carriage tension for main hat. Knit rows.
Take stitches on the left half of the bed off on waste yarn. You will now work on half the stitches to make one of the jester points.
Set row counter to zero. Knit rows.
Set row counter to zero. Knit rows.
Decrease 2 stitches on each edge of the bed. I do this by taking them off with my two prong transfer tool, shifting them in two stitches, and then taking the edge needles out of work. Knit 1 row.
Repeat steps 8 & 9 until there are 11 stitches or fewer stitches left and you are ready to repeat #9 again, take remaining stitches off on waste yarn. Thread yarn and draw through the stitches; remove waste yarn.
Rehang stitches on waste yarn, and repeat steps 7 and after.
Follow instructions to assemble hat.

Assemble:

Seam sides together from the hem up the the level of the jester point divide. Above that point, seam each long side of a jester point to its other long side. Pull yarn through tops of hat tight and anchor.
Option: If you want a stocking cap, sew each edge of a jester point to the edge of the other jester point. This forms one point only.
To make braids, cut 10 long, long strips of yarn. Pull the yarn through the tips of jester points using a crochet hook or tapestry needle. Braid like a girls braid, tie a knot in the end. Trim.
Tidy ends, remove any waste yarn, and block or steam as appropriate for your yarn.