Little leftovers

Little Leftovers Baby Hats by Fiona Hamilton-MacLaren

What is Being Made

Little Leftovers is a collection of baby hats designed by Fiona Hamilton-MacLaren to make use of leftover sock yarn. These hats are ideal for using up the remaining yarn from a typical 100g ball of 4 ply sock yarn after knitting a pair of women's medium ankle socks. Each hat requires less than 20g of yarn, making them an economical and sustainable project for crafters with yarn scraps.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for 20g of 4 ply sock yarn, which is prized for baby items due to its fine weight, softness, and extensive color range. The sample shown uses Regia 4 ply in shade 06607 and The Knitting Squid sock yarn in "Petunia." A key advantage of sock yarn for baby garments is that it is machine washable, making these hats practical for everyday wear.

Additional materials required include a tapestry needle for weaving in ends and stitch markers to track pattern repeats and shaping.

Needles and Tools

The pattern is worked on 3.0mm needles, with the option to use either double pointed needles or circular needles for working in the round. This flexibility allows knitters to choose their preferred method for small circumference knitting.

Techniques and Stitches

Little Leftovers uses fundamental knitting techniques suitable for intermediate-level crafters. The skills required include:

• Cast on methods to begin the hat
• Knit and purl stitches for creating stocking stitch fabric
• Knitting in the round to create seamless hats
• Decreasing stitches to shape the crown
• Weaving in ends for finishing

The primary stitch pattern is stocking stitch, which creates a smooth, classic fabric ideal for baby garments. The pattern includes decreases, typically worked as knit two stitches together (k2tog), to taper the hat crown and create a fitted shape.

Gauge and Sizing

The pattern is worked to a gauge of 28 stitches and 40 rows over 10cm in stocking stitch. Maintaining this gauge is essential for achieving the correct finished dimensions.

Little Leftovers offers multiple size options, with stitch counts provided for head circumferences of 25cm, 28.5cm, 32cm, 35.5cm, and 39cm. This range accommodates newborns through toddlers, allowing knitters to customize the hat size for their intended recipient.

Design Versatility

The pattern encourages creative color choices, suggesting that knitters can select bright colors or classic pastel shades to suit the recipient's taste or nursery decor. The variety of colors available in sock yarn makes it easy to create personalized baby gifts.