If you would like to be the first to hear about new pattern releases, get special subscriber only discounts, and generally keep in touch with Knitwise Design, you may want to sign up for my newsletter: News and Notes from Knitwise Design.

Grab a hand full of geckos by the tails and pop them on your head! This whimsical hat will delight kids and adults alike.

More interested in amphibians than reptiles? This design works as salamanders too! (The blue hat has baby newts called Red Efts.)

This pattern is suitable for knitters who can work from a colorwork chart with two colors at a time (stranded knitting technique) in the round. The design requires some trapping of longer floats on the back. I have included a link to my own video for how to do that if you work stranded knitting with one color in each hand.
The pattern is 5 pages long with a separate chart on its own page for each size. It has been test knit and professionally tech edited to be clear and free of errors.

Sizes: S (M, L) to fit child/small adult (medium adult, large adult). Shown in size S.

Finished Measurements:
Circumference: 20 1/4 (21 3/4, 23 1/4) in/ 51.5 (55.25, 59) cm. Best worn without too much negative ease to avoid stretching the critters out of shape. Model is wearing a size S and has a 21 in/ 53.5 cm head circumference.
Height: 8 (8.5, 9) in/ 20.5 (21.5, 23) cm.

Gauge:
22 sts and 28 rnds in 4 in/ 10 cm over stranded pattern in the rnd.

What You Need:

• Worsted weight yarn in two colors:

• MC (hat ribbing and background): 1 3/4 (2, 2 1/4) oz/ 50 (57, 64) g, approximately 105 (120, 135) yards/ 96 (110, 123) meters. Sample shown in Malabrigo Rios, 100% wool, 210yd/ 192 m per 3.4 oz/100g, color 894 “Cielo Y Tierra”. (Blue Hat is color 209 “Denim”.)

• CC (geckos): 1 (1, 1 1/4) oz/ 28 (28, 35) g, approximately 58 (58, 61) yards/ 53 (53, 56) meters. Sample shown in, Malabrigo Rios, color 688 “Yerba”. (Red salamanders are color 016 “Glazed Carrot”.)

• One set of dpns, and one 16 in/ 40 cm circular needle in size required to obtain gauge. I used US #5/ 3.75mm. You may need a size or two above or below that.

• One 16 in/ 40 cm circular needle one to two US sizes smaller than above needle for ribbing, depending on how firm you prefer your ribbing. I used US #4/ 3.5mm.

• One stitch marker

• Tapestry needle

Pattern Notes:
Hat is worked in the rnd from the bottom up using stranded knitting technique.

Tech editing by: Kerry Bullock-Ozkan.
Photography by: Joe Stylos.
Thanks to models Melissa Stylos and Katie McKinstry Stylos.