Oh, sure, it LOOKS pretty....

... but then there are The Chiggers!

I am out in the Theodore Roosevelt Preserve for 6 weeks this summer doing an Archaeological Field Methods class. This means that I am actually digging up Native American artifacts from a thousand years ago! In a very strategic, organized, and scientific way, of course!

I am having fun, but I wasn't kidding about the chiggers! Between them and other biting insects (although chiggers are technically in the Arachnid family) I have done nothing but itch myself crazy for the past week and a half.

Knitted Newborn Hat

Here is the pattern I came up with for knitting newborn baby hats:

Worsted Weight yarn (size 4), and US 6 (4mm) needles. The hat needs to have a circumference of 33cm, so after the ribbing rows, measure it. If it is too small, go up a needle size. Do not adjust the number of stitches or the decreases will not work right.

Loosely CO (cast on) 48 stitches.
Divide appropriately for your preferred method of knitting in the round: 24 stitches on each needle for knitting with 2 circulars or Magic Loop method, or 16 each on 3 needles for using DPNs (double pointed needles).

Begin working in the round as follows:

Work 6 rows of 2x2 ribbing (K2,P2).

Work 17 rows of stockinette stitch (knitting every row on circulars).

Begin decrease rounds as follows:

Round 1 [K10,SSK] (slip, slip, knit) x4
Round 2 [K9,SSK] x4
Round 3 [K8,SSK] x4
Continue in this manner until you [K1,SSK] and end up with only 8 stitches.
Cut yarn about 5 inches long and, using a yarn needle, feed through all 8 stitches and draw tight.

Weave in ends (cast on tail and bind off tail) using Duplicate Stitch.