Oscar’s Hat

from the 2012 film “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”

made for Thomas Horn and understudies

finished size:  20" - 22" in circumference

& 10" -11" tall depending on blocking

Materials:  

Needles:

US size 1 2.25 mm 16" circular needles or equivalent DPNS/magic loop/two circulars

Yarn: 

One skein of Elspeth Lavold Silky Wool, 45% Wool, 35% Silk, 20% Nylon in Grey, color 80

[main color  / MC]

.25 skein (under 50 yards) of Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport, 100% wool in Yellow [contrast color / CC]

Notions:

Yarn needle

small clips or pins for blocking

paint can or wire coat hanger as blocking form

Method:

Cast on 100 stitches with grey yarn using the long tail cast on or another non-bulky stretchy cast on. Join stitches for circular knitting taking care not to twist the cast on row. Place two markers on the first cast on stitch. Do not move one of these  markers carry the other along as you reach the beginning of the row for each subsequent row.  Knit nine rows, purl one, knit another nine, change to yellow, picked up cast-on row stitches while knitting contrast row to form cuff, continue for five sets of two rows of yellow alternated with 10 rows of grey on last grey row pass one stitch over the next to reduce stitches by half then run yarn through the remaining stitches to gather the top. Weave in yarn ends. Block hat and hem casing by pulling over a paint can and flower mesh or make a wire frame and hold hat to wires with hair clips or pins.

R1 - R9 with MC, k

R10 p

R11 - R20 k

R21 tie on CC, match R21 first stitch with R1 first stitch, k picking up one loop from the cast on row with each knit stitch.

R22 with CC k

R23 - 32 with MC, k

R33 - R34 with CC, k

R35 - R44 with MC,k

R45 - R46 with CC, k

R47 - R55 with MC, k

R56 *s1 psso k1* to end

Break yarn with approximately 12" tail. Thread yarn needle and pass tail through all stitches and cinch tight. Weave in ends. 

 

Blocking:

Paint Can option: 

Dampen hat and pull over a paint can or similar cylindrical object hold in place with a tube of netting or attach clips around the bottom edge for a clean edge. Place five equidistant clips around the top of hat to form pleats.

  

Coat hanger option: 

Shape a wire coat hanger to the exact dimensions desired, bending  the cross bar into a “u”shape for the crown of the hat and folding in the shoulder supports to form the hem of the hat. Dampen hat and attach the hat all the way around with clips. Use five clips to form the equidistant pleats at the crown. The coat hanger hook provides a convenient way to hang the hat while drying.