Square Cat: super easy kitty hat knitting pattern

Another FREE pattern you can use to join our knitting forces for KATTENMUTSEN VOOR JAPAN (Kitty Hats For Japan)

This one is very easy, you just have to know how to knit and purl. And you don't need circular needles. The added colour design is optional. If you want to add colour, but not do fair isle, go for stripes =^x^=

SQUARE CAT HAT (pattern)

Materials:
Knitting needles:  metric (European) size 3 ½ en 4 ½ /  US size 4 and 7
Tapestry needle

Main yarn colour: 1 skein 100 gr
Additional colour for ears : leftover yarn
Gauge: 10x10 cm = 17 stitches to  25 rows

Sizes:  (child: 46cm=18”) - teen: 52/54cm=21” – (adult: 60 cm=23”)
Please take into account that the hat will stretch less if you apply a fair isle pattern (like the windmills)

The knitting pattern:
The front and back of the hat are knitted separately.

FRONT:
Rim: cast on ( 34) - 42 – (50) stitches on needle 3 ½ (US 4).
Knit 10 rows 2  knit 2 purl.
Switch to needles 4 ½ (US 7)
(You can knit a coloured border in fair isle stitch here. See for ideas this earlier blog post)
Knit (22) - 32 – (42) rows in stockinette stitch (on front knit all, on return purl all)
The last (9) – 10 – (11) rows knit the ear pattern. (see image A)
Finish.

BACK:
Same as front, but  after  (22) - 32 – (42) rows, continue ( 9) - 10 – (11)  rows stockinette in the main colour in stead of the ear pattern.


Put the both parts with the GOOD sides on each other and sow together.

And, hey presto: you've made a kitty hat!


image A:

 

Kittyhat pattern

For "Kattenmutsen voor Japan"(=Kittyhats for Japan) we are hoping to collect a lot of kittyhats.
For a kitty hat pattern in English I will direct you to the godmother of all kitty hats:
Kittyville

Here's the hat I made. I added  the cross stitch heart for the Japan relief theme.

You can also make a fair isle knit pattern. In this case you will add 4 stitches after the seed stitch border divided over the whole round. So you will have 88 stitches before you start the pattern. After the pattern you will knit 2 together for 4 times to get 84 again.

Tomorrow I will add more free kitty hat patterns. I will also post one that is on regular knitting needles and more suitable for the beginning knitter.

Enjoy knitting!
=^x^=
Ama

Knit For Japan

Thanks to Yumiko Kunimori for introducing me to KNIT FOR JAPAN.

Nearly a year after the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami a woolly hug is still very welcome and help is still needed.

“Knit for Japan” is an initiative by Bernd Kestler to collect and distribute hand-knitted/ crocheted items, yarn and knitting/ crochet tools to victims of the Tohoku earthquake.

• Knit/ Crochet items: Every stitch can make a difference. Take out your needles or crochet hook and start to cast-on for a woolly hat, pair of socks, a scarf or some gloves.

• Yarn and tools: From your stock of yarn send a couple of skeins together with needles or crochet hook. Many people at a shelter have not much to do during the day. Knitting can help to relieve some stress, increase motivation and produce something useful. Non-knitters might learn a new skill.

You can send the crochet/knit items or supplies directly to Bernd Kestler in Japan, preferably by airmail.

I am currently collecting for sending a parcel of handmade goodies and tools from the town of Leiden in the Netherlands.

If you would like to contribute to our shipment(s) from the Netherlands to Knit For Japan, you can send your these handmade items and knitting/crochet supplies to:
Ama de Jong
Bronkhorststraat 9
2316 SW Leiden

Additionaly Yumiko Kunimori is also organising a special collection for the people of Yamada (Iwate): Kattenmutsen voor Japan
More info about that cause will follow on this blog, so keep posted!