Tortora

Do you like bobbles? Then this may be the hat for you. Its textured look is formed by alternating purled bobbles with vertical knit lines. Those bobbles are worked in an uncommon and interesting way. Yarn overs help you to increase 5 stitches out of 1. After a few rows, those 5 stitches are deceased back to 1 again. It’s real fun to do!

I first saw this kind of bobbles in a picture of a Peruvian girl wearing a knitted cap. I was intrigued to find out how these bobbles were made. After I did, they inspired me to design a bobbly hat of my own.

I named it Tortora, after the reed that grows around Lake Titicacawhere the girl was pictured. The vertical stitches look like reed and the bobbles like their fluffy flowers.  

SIZE

One (grown up)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Purple hat:

Heigth: 23 cm/ 9 inches (not stretched)

Circumference: 46 cm/ 18 inches (not stretched)

Weight: 140 g

Beige hat:

Height: 20 cm/ 8 inches (not stretched)

Circumference: 44 cm/17,5 inches (not stretched)

Weight: 43 g

MATERIALS

Beige hat:

Lana Grossa, Alta Moda Alpaca [90% baby alpaca, 5% virgin wool merino,  5% Polyamide; 140 m/153 yd per 50 g skein]; color: 011; 1 skein

Purple hat:

Phildar, Phil’Bambou, [100% viscose bamboo, 82m/89 yd per 50 g skein]; Color: Violine, 013, 3 skeins (yarn taken double)
 

1 set US #7/4,5mm double-point needles

1 stitch marker

GAUGE

Beige hat:

16 sts/26 rows = 4" (10 cm) in stockinet stitch

Purple hat:

15 sts/20 rows = 4” (10 cm) in stockinet stitch

PATTERN NOTES

For this pattern you have to increase 4 stitches out of 1. This is done in a quite uncommon way, by using yarn overs! It’s very easy! If you notice this stitch creates a hole, don’t worry. This is exactly what’s supposed to happen. 

The 1-out-of-5 decrease you make a few rows later, is also very easy.

Inc4: Purl 5 sts out of 1 like this: purl stitch as normal, but don’t slip stitch off the needle. Leave it on and make a yarn over.  Repeat st and yo once. Make a final st and slip the loop off.

Dec4: s2 k1 psso, k2tog, pkso.

Pkso: pass knit stitch over

The pattern stitch is based on a repeat of 4 stitches and 7 rows. The first rows are Inc/Dec rows. For the following 6 rows you’ll knit the sts as they show. After the first row the amount of stitches will alternate. For sizing don’t count these extra stitches.

This simple schedule shows you where to place the bobbles. Increases and decreases are made at the beginning and ending of each bobble, in every first row. For the next 6 rows you knit the knits and purl the purls.

PATTERN

Brim

CO 72 sts, divide sts over needles and connect in the round. Place stitch marker to mark beginning and end of round.

Round 1 – 7: p1, k1 till end (take care to start with a purl stitch!)

Hat body

Round 1 (INC round): p3, k1, p3, INC4, p3, k1, p3, k1, p3, INC4, p3, k1, p3, INC4, p3, k1, p3, k1, p3, k1, p3, INC4, p3, k1, p3, k1, p3, INC4, p3, k1, p3, k1, p3, INC4, p3, k1

Round 2 – 7: p3, k1, p11, k1, p3, k1, p11, k1, p11, k1, p3, k1, p3, k1, p11, k1, p3, k1, p11, k1, p3, k1, p11, k1

Round 8 (INC/DEC round): p3, INC4, p3, DEC4, p3, INC4, p3, k1, p3, DEC4, p3, INC4, p3, DEC4, p3, k1, p3, INC4, p3, k1, p3, DEC4, p3, k1, p3, INC4, p3, DEC4, p3, k1, p3, INC4, p3, DEC4, p3, k1

Round 9 – 14: p11, k1, p11, k1, p3, k1, p11, k1, p3, k1, p11, k1, p3, k1, p3, k1, p11, k1, p3, k1, p11, k1, p3, k1

Round 15 (INC/DEC round): p3, DEC4, p3, INC4, p3, DEC4, p3, INC4, p3, k1, p3, DEC4, p3, k1, p3, INC4, p3, DEC4, p3, INC4, p3, k1, p3, INC4, p3, DEC4, p3, k1, p3, INC4, p3, DEC4, p3, INC4, p3, k1

Round 16 – 21: p3, k1, p11, k1, p11, k1, p3, k1, p3, k1, p11, k1, p11, k1, p11, k1, p3, k1, p11, k1, p11, p3, k1

Round 22 (INC/DEC round): p3, k1, p3, DEC4, p3, INC4, p3, DEC4, p3, INC4, p3, k1, p3, inc4, p3, dec4, p3, inc4, p3, dec4, p3, inc4, p3, dec4, p3, inc4, p3, k1, p3, dec4, p3, k1, p3, dec4, p3, inc4

Round 23 – 28: p3, k1, p3, k1, p11, k1, p11, k1, p11, k1, p11, k1, p11, k1, p11, k1, p3, k1, p3, k1, p3, k1, p8

Round 29 (INC/DEC round): p3, k1, p3, k1, p3, dec4, p3, inc4, p3, dec4, p3, k1, p3, dec4, p3, k1, p3, dec4, p3, inc4, p3, dec4, p3, inc4, p3, dec4, p3, inc4, p3, k1, p3, k1, p3, inc4, p3, dec4

Round 30 – 35: p3, k1, p3, k1, p3, k1, p11, k1, p3, k1, p3, k1, p3, k1, p3, k1, p11, k1, p11,  k1, p11, k1, p3, k1, p11, k1

Round 36 (DEC round): p3, k1, p3, k1, p3, k1, p3, dec4, p3, k1, p3, k1, p3, k1, p3, k1, p3, k1, p3, dec4, p3, k1, p3, dec4, p3,  k1, p3, dec4, p3, k1, p3, k1, p3, dec4, p3, k1 (72 sts left)

Crown

Round 1, 2, 3: p3, k1, p3, k1

Round 4 (Dec round): * p1, p2tog, k1 (repeat till end) (54 sts left)

Round 5, 6, 7: p2, k1, p2, k1

Round 8 (Dec round) *p2tog, k1 (repeat till end) (36 sts left)

Round 9 - 11:  p1, k1, p1, k1

Round 12: k2tog till end (18 sts left)

Round 13: k all

Round 14: k2tog till end (9 sts left)

Round 15: k all, cut yarn, darn yarn end through sts, pull tight and secure.

FINISHING

Weave in yarn ends