Keep your little one's head nice and warm with this adorable lamb hat

What you need...

• Yarn, chunky, cream, 200g
  Knitting needles: straight, 6mm; circular, 6mm
  Darning needle
  
  Abbreviations:
  k knit
  k2tog knit two together
  p purl
  p2tog purl two together
  rep repeat
  st(s) stitch(es)
  sl1 slip one stitch
  
  Sizes:
  6–12 months (12–24 months, 2–3 years)
  
  Finished measurements:
  From ‘cheek to cheek’ around the hat: 37cm (38cm, 39cm)
  
  Tension:
  10 sts and 20 rows = 10cm square in moss stitch worked with 6mm needles
  13 sts and 20 rows = 10cm square in k1, p1 rib unstretched, worked with 6mm needles

instructions

1. Hat - With a 6mm circular needle, cast on 50 (52, 54) sts. Join to work in the round.
   Rounds 1–4 (1–4, 1–4): Work in k1, p1 rib.
   Row 5 (5, 5): P1, *k1, p1* rep. from * to * 21 (22, 23) times, place next
   7 (7, 7) stitches on waste yarn, turn. 43 (45, 47) sts.
   Row 6 (6, 6): P1, [k1, p1] rep. to end of round. 43 (45, 47) sts.
   Rows 7–27 (7–29, 7–29): Rep. row 6. 43 (45, 47) sts.
   Work in short rows.
   6–12 months and 2–3 years:
   Row 28 (30): P1, [k1, p1] 6 (7) times, p2tog, [k1, p1] 6 (6) times, k1, p2tog, turn. 41 (45) sts.
   Row 29 (31): Sl1, [k1, p1] 6 (6) times, k1, k2tog, turn. 40 (44) sts.
   Row 30 (32): Sl1, [k1, p1] 6 (6) times, k1, p2tog, turn. 39 (43) sts.
   Rows 31–52 (33–58): Rep. rows 29–30 (31–32), 11 (13) times. 17 (17) sts.
   Row 53 (59): Rep. row 29 (31) once. 16 (16) sts.

2. Neck Ruff - Work in the round.
   Round 54 (60): Sl1, [k1, p1] 6 (6) times, k1, p2tog, pick up and knit 8 (10) sts along edge, from waste yarn, [k1, p1] 3 times, k1, pick up and knit 8 (10) sts along edge. 38 (42) sts.
   Round 55 (61): [K1, p1] rep. to end of round. 38 (42) sts.
   Round 56 (62): [P1, k1] rep. to end of round. 38 (42) sts.
   Rounds 57–86 (63–92): Rep. rounds 55–56 (61–62), 15 (15) times. 38 (42) sts.
   Rounds 87–94 (93–100): Work in k1, p1 rib. 38 (42) sts.
   Cast off.
   12–24 months:
   Row 30: P1, [k1, p1] 6 times, k1, p2tog, [p1, k1] 6 times, p1, p2tog, turn. 43 sts.
   Row 31: Sl1, [p1, k1] 6 times, p1, k2tog, turn. 42 sts.
   Row 32: Sl1, [p1, k1] 6 times, p1, p2tog, turn. 41 sts.
   Rows 33–56: Rep. rows 31–32, 12 times. 17 sts.
   Row 57: Rep. row 31 once. 16 sts. Work in the round.
   Round 58: Sl1, [p1, k1] 6 times, p1, p2tog, pick up and knit 9 sts along edge, from waste yarn, [k1, p1] 3 times, k1, pick up and knit 9 sts along edge. 40 sts.
   Round 59: [P1, k1] rep. to end of round. 40 sts.
   Round 60: [K1, p1] rep. to end of round. 40 sts.
   Rounds 61–88: Rep. rounds 59–60, 14 times. 40 sts.
   Rounds 89–96: P1, k1 rib. 40 sts.
   Cast off.

3. Ears - With 6mm straight needles, cast on 14 sts.
   Rows 1–9: Work in garter stitch.
   Row 10: K1, k2tog, k to the last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. 12 sts.
   Rows 11–12: Work in garter stitch.
   Rows 13–24: Rep. rows 10–12, 4 times. 4 sts.
   Row 25: [K2tog] twice. 2 sts.
   Row 26: K.
   Row 27: K2tog. 1 st.
   Cast off.

4. To Make Up - Sew the ears to the hat using an invisible seam. Weave in the ends to finish.

This project has been taken from Monster Knits for Little Monsters by Nuriya Khegay (Apple Press, £12.99). Visit http://www.quarto.com for more details.