Three Corner Hat

This page has a pattern generator (aka program) to create a pattern to help you knit a three corner 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.
Hung hem if machine knit, ribbed hem if hand knit.
You may vary the band size to fit any head.
Directions are provided for both MK (machine knit) and HK (hand knit.)

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.

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.

Main Hat Piece.

Hand knit:
You need two size needle diameters. The gauge swatch should have been knit in stockinette, using the larger diameter needles.

Using smaller needles, cast on stitches, knit 1 x 1 rib until hat measures inches from cast on. (Feel free to round!)
Change to larger needles and begin to knit in stockinette. If you want stripes, alternate colors every 6 rows. Knit until hat measures inches from cast on. (If you want a longer hat, just keep knitting. This is a minimum length.)
Follow final directions to assemble the hat.

Machine knit.
You will use two machine tension settings. The gauge swatch should have been knit at the looser tension.

Raise needles to work. Then, move every other needle out of work.
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 chosen machine 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 row count 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 machine to knit tension for main hat. Knit rows in a fancy pattern of your choice. (I alternated 10 rows green and 4 rows pink. When I reached the final rows, I knit a few extra rows to finish with a full green stripe. If you want a longer hat, just keep knitting.)
Hang 5 markers evenly across the hat-- dividing into 6 portions. Take work off on waste yarn, if you like seaming on the machine; bind off if you prefer hand seaming. )

Assemble:

Seam side.
Divide top hat into six portions. (Don't worry if you aren't perfect. I wanted the hat to fit your head more than I wanted the corners to be precisely the same. So, I didn't force the number of stitches to be a multiple of six, so one of the three corners may have 1 stitch less than the others. Not a big deal.) Seam 1/6 stitches to adjacent 1/6 stitches. This makes one corner! Repeat for the rest of the corners.
To make braids, cut 10 long, long strips of yarn. Pull the yarn through the corners of the hat using a crochet hook, and pull long ends through the loop to anchor. 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.