Friday, December 4, 2015

Attack of the Creepers Hat - A Free Knitting Pattern!


Sssssssss.... KaBoom!  Here is a fun simple hat design for the Minecraft lover in your life.  I personally like to play Minecraft on peaceful mode so I don't have to worry about creepers sneaking up on me.  I love the creativity and unlimited nature of the sandbox game.


I wanted a special yarn for this project.  Creepers have a mottled green exterior, so I overdyed some KnitPicks Wool of the Andes worsted weight yarn in Jalapeno green to help me get this pixellated quality to my knitting (see the bottom of this pattern post for the video of me dyeing the yarn!)


Materials
  • Worsted weight yarn in Black (MC - 42.5 g, 92 yards) and green (CC - 12 g, 27 yards).  The sample was knit using KnitPicks Wool of the Andes worsted weight yarn in Coal and Overdyed Jalapeno green (see the end of this post for the dyeing tutorial). 
  • US size 6 (4.0 mm) circular knitting needles with a flexible cable for the magic loop or double pointed needles.  
  • Gauge - 11 sts/2"; 7 rows/1" over stockinette
  • Finished Size - Adult Small (18" circumference, 8.25" brim to crown).

Abbreviations used in this pattern
  • K - knit
  • P - purl
  • K2tog - Knit two stitches together, decreasing 1 stitch
  • Sts - stitches
  • dpn - double pointed needles
  • MC - main color
  • CC - contrasting color

The Creeper Knitting Chart (First shared on another of my blogs, Knitting Project of the Day.)

10x10 stitches

The Pattern - The Attack of the Creepers Hat is knit in the round from the bottom up and has stranded colorwork for the creeper pattern around the brim.  Wrap the carried yarn around the working yarn to minimize the length of floats when necessary.  
  • With MC, cast on 96 stitches.  If using dpn's, arrange evenly on 4 needles. Join to knit in the round, taking care to not twist your stitches.
  • Knit in 2x2 ribbing (*K2, P2* around) for 7 rounds or until the piece measures ~1 inch from the cast on edge.  
  • Next Round: K around in MC
  • Colorwork round:  K1 MC, Knit 10 sts of the creeper chart starting at the bottom row #1, reading the chart from right to left.  *K2 MC, Knit creeper chart* until last stitch, K1 MC.  The creeper chart will be worked 8 times with two MC stitches separating each creeper.  
  • Continue the colorwork rounds until all 10 rows of the creeper charts have been knit.  
  • Knit 22 rounds MC or until the hat measures 6" from the cast on edge. 
  • Begin Crown Decreases (with optional striping pattern):
    • Switch to CC: *K10, K2tog* around (88 sts)
    • K around 
    • *K9, K2tog* around (80 sts)
    • Switch to MC and K around.
    • *K8, K2tog* around (72 sts)
    • K around
    • Switch to CC: *K7, K2tog* around (64 sts)
    • K around
    • *K6, K2tog* around (56 sts)  Break CC
    • Switch to MC and K around
    • *K5, K2tog* around (48 sts)
    • K around
    • *K4, K2tog* around (40 sts)
    • K around 
    • *K3, K2tog* around (32 sts)
    • K around
    • *K2, K2tog* around (24 sts)
    • K around
    • *K1, K2tog* around (16 sts)
    • K around
    • *K2tog* around (8 sts)
  • Break yarn and pull through remaining stitches.  Weave in any loose ends and block if desired.  Put on the hat and sneak up on your friends hissing!


Dyeing the Green Yarn
I wound the yarn into a skein and handpainted the yarn with brown, black, yellow and green food coloring to get a mottled effect.  For more details, check out the following dyeing video.


This hat is knit as an Adult Small so it would be appropriate for a young teen.  It is a bit too big for a 2 year old toddler, but Lucky needed to try out the hat!  (Plus he makes a cameo in the above video... make sure you check it out!)  


I've been meaning to create this hat for such a long time.  I'm so happy that I finally got it finished in time for the holidays!

These knitting pattern was created by ChemKnits for your personal or charity use. You are not to sell, distribute or reprint this pattern without the permission of ChemKnits. © 2015 ChemKnits