But a small dark figure that none had observed sprang out of the shadows and gave a hoarse shout: Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mênu! An axe swung and swept back. Two Orcs fell headless. The rest fled.

-- J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers

This close fitted cap protects your head from the elements when you are on the walls of the Hornburg surveying Saruman’s orc army. Runes circling your forehead spell out your fearsome battle cry in the ancient language and runic script of your people: Axes of the Dwarves! The Dwarves are Upon You!

The Battle Cry Hat uses both written (for the plain work sections) and charted (for the colourwork sections) instructions. You will need to use both to complete your hat/headband.

Materials Needed:
DK or light worsted yarn in three colours as follows:

• Small headband 71y grey, 7y red, 19y gold yarn or colours desired
• Large headband 93y grey, 9y red, 25y gold yarn or colours desired
• Small hat 90y grey, 17y red, 38y gold yarn or colours desired
• Large hat 118y grey, 22y red, 50y gold yarn or colours desired
• Circular needle in size needed to reach appropriate gauge

Optional Materials:

• One size smaller needle for ribbing sections
• Darning needle for weaving in ends
• Unique stitch marker to mark start/end of rounds
• 11 additional stitch markers to mark repeats of the Flames chart

A note on gauge:

Gauge for this pattern is absolutely crucial because it is the gauge you achieve that determines the size you will make. Because the rune chart must be 120 stitches to encompass the entire battle cry, there isn’t an easy way to adjust the size by adjusting the chart.

Note that the needle sizes suggested are the sizes that worked for me; you may have to go up or down needle sizes to achieve the same gauge.

If you cannot achieve both stitch and row gauge, use the needle size that brings you to the same stitch gauge and adjust the hat height by adding or omitting rows of plain knitting. Keep in mind that such adjustments will affect yarn usage.

• For the small/medium size (fits head circumference up to 20”): gauge = 26 sts x 32 rounds (on size 3mm (US 2.5) needles). Finished dimensions 18.5” circ x 8.33” tall.
• For the medium/large size (fits head circumference up to 24”): gauge = 22 sts x 28 rounds (on size 3.5mm (US 4) needles). Finished dimensions 21.75” circ x 9.5” tall.