The Caterpillar Surprise and Stepping Stones Hats work well in a cotton or wool blend. The caterpillar surprise is an interpretation of the caterpillar stitch (400 knitting stitches, by Potter Craft, p15). The hat is worked with more knits and just a few purls. This gives the knitter something interesting to do, and if finished neatly, the recipient can flip the hat inside-out for the caterpillars to appear. The Stepping Stones Hat works well in an earth-tone because I think that interpretation of the caterpillar stitch looks more like stepping stones. I love serendipity. The hats take just a few hours to knit, and make perfect gifts or accessories for either gender.

Directions are written for sizes adult, child, and infant using worsted weight yarn. (Newborn directions are the same as infant, and written in italic. Use DK yarn.)

Finished sizes:
Adult Hat: flat 16”, stretch 24” circumference, 10 ” height
Child Hat: flat 15” stretch 22” circumference, 9” height
Infant Hat: flat 14”, stretch 20” circumference, 8” height
(Newborn Hat: flat 10”, stretch 16” circumference , 6” height)

Gauge:US#8 5 stitches = 1”; (US#6 5.5 stitches = 1”)
Adjust needle size, and row count to match gauge.

Materials:
Yarn: worsted weight yarn : Adult hat: 150 yards / 2.5oz;
Child hat: 125yards / 2 oz; Infant: 90 yards/ 1.5 oz
(yarn DK: Newborn: 50 yards/ .66 oz)

Photos:
Adult Caterpillar Surprise is knit in Plymouth Yarn Encore; 75%acrylic/ 25%wool. One skein (200yds) worsted weight will knit the child and infant hats.

Child Stepping Stone Hat “Yellow Brick Road” is knit in Louisa Harding Mila; 91%cotton/ 9% polyester; colors: 04 lemon Modification: this hat measures a bit shorter because I wanted to complete the work with one ball of Mila. Size Infant, not a problem. Child and Adult will require 2 balls.

(Newborn Caterpillar Surprise and Stepping Stone Hats are knit in Plymouth Yarn Encore DK; 75%acrylic/ 25%wool colors: 451 green, 6002 tan/brown)
If you are careful, one DK skein will knit three newborn hats.

The pattern pdf will print to 2 pages, you may want to print front & back.