Description: This step-by-step hat pattern for the circular sock machine is sized for smaller heads, from infant to toddler, using a 72 or 96-slot cylinder and fingering-weight yarn. The instruction is written for two sizes, XS, S for the 72, 96 cylinder. The project needs familiarity with lifting/lowering needles (short rows) to knit the heel/toes. No ribbing!

The hat is knitted from the bottom up starting with a picot hung hem. Then several series of short rows are applied for shaping including lowering the back of the head, positioning the ears, reducing for the crown, and sprouting ears at the crown.

Materials: 50 gm smooth and soft fingering-weight (about 420 yards per 100 gm) yarn in white. Optional: 10 gm fingering-weight in pink. A small piece of heavy-weight fusible interfacing for ears. Waste yarn and darning needle.

Level: Intermediate crankers who are comfortable with short rows for heels and toes.

Gauge: Before you begin, set tension to the loosest setting and test crank your machine with working yarn. If the machine drops stitches, tighten the tension a bit at a time. It should knit comfortably with three stacks of weights. Gauge will vary by machine, and yarn, but tension should be quite loose for hats.