The chicken tracks hat (pattern)

HERE BE PATTERN

Chicken Tracks 

The most sophisticated and alluring hat with chickens and a pompom that you will ever need. 

Note: My patterns are more like guidelines, so you have to basically know what you're doing. This is your standard stranded hat with square decreases. The size is based around an 11-stitch chart, so if you want to make it bigger, add 11 stitches. To make it smaller, subtract 11 stitches. It should be loose and slouchy, so it's okay if it's a little taller than your head in the end.

Materials:

4 colors of sock yarn (whatever you have the most of for the main color, two chicken colors, one accent color for the chicken tracks)

8" circular needles, size 3
Set of 5 size 3 double-pointed needles
Fits a not-dainty-headed adult

Directions:

Using main color, CO 142

Join in the round, being sure not to twist, and place marker at beginning of row.

Work in 1x1 ribbing for 5 inches or so. It's okay if it's a bit loose; that makes it warm and stretchy and it'll fold over anyway so nobody will notice.

Switch to st st, and decrease 10 stitches evenly over next round. 132 stitches. Knit 3 rounds even.

Add your accent color and knit track 1 (charts below) over the next 3 rounds.

Continue knitting 2 rounds in main color between each chart and carrying up your colors, working charts in this order:

chicken 1 

track 2

chicken 2 

track 1

chicken 1

track 2

(Basically, you have the tracks and the chickens headed in the one direction and then turning around and running back the other way.)

When you have worked all the chart repeats, work 2 rounds in main color, placing stitch markers every 33 stitches.

On next main color round, decrease 1 stitch before and after each stitch marker; k2tog, ssk. Knit 1 round even.

Decrease every other round 4 times, continuing to work in stripes of tracks and main color (work the decreases in main color and pull them tight so there's no gap), then switch to dp needles, with the stitch marker in the middle of each needle for easy decreasing, and decrease every round until 3 stitches remain on each needle. Break yarn, thread end through remaining stitches, and pull tight. Weave in ends, block. Then make a big fat pompom out of your remaining yarn, using the cardboard donut technique. Sew that sucker on securely.

Pau! You are so hip and mysterious.

Charts:

Tracks 1

Chicken 1

Tracks 2

Chicken 2