freebie friday - slouchy toque

Why Hello There! Since I've been a disappointment lately and haven't finished my grape jam sweater quite as quickly as I should have, I'm treating you with a free pattern. This is my go-to toque (let's get something straight, they are toques, not beanies) when someone asks me for a slouchy hat. They knit up quickly, are warm and sit snugly on your brainpan without being too tight. Here we go... Materials:

• 1 Skein medium weight yarn (I can usually get 2 hats out of a skein...3 if It's a big one)
• 4.5mm Dpns or size to obtain gauge
• yarn needle for sewing in ends

Gauge: 6.5 sts x 7 Rows = 1" in 1x1 ribbing unstretched

Cast on 96 sts k1 p1 ribbing for 9* inches *or desired length; go longer for more slouch or shorter for more of a "bump" decrease:

1. *k, p, k, p, k2tog* around (80 sts)
2. *k, p, k, p, k* around (you will have 2 knits side-by side in areas)
3. *k, p, k, p2tog* around (64 sts)
4. *k, p* around
5. *k, p, k2tog* around (48sts)
6. *k, p, k* around
7. *k, p2tog* around (32 sts)
8. *k, p* around
9. *k2tog, p2tog* around (16 sts)
10. *k, p* around
11. *k2tog, p2tog* around (8sts)
12. *k2tog, p2tog* around (4sts)

break yarn and thread through remaining 4 sts and pull tight. Sew in your ends.
If you have any questions give me a shout in the comments section.
Happy knitting~

drop it like it's hot

as someone who almost never drops stitches accidentally, working in dropstitch hurts me down to my core.

My method to get the Grungy dropped stitch look:

- knit until the area you would like to have holes
- K2tog or SSK
- Yarn over
- Knit around until you come back to the yarn over
- Yarn over, drop Yarn over from previous round

...repeat.

I would suggest doing no more than 2 dropped Yarn overs for holes or it will get too big.