Yummy Yarn and Freebie Baby Hat

I was just at my local yarn store looking for some leather handles for a bag I've made and came across this yarn from Crystal Palace Yarns called "Mini Mochi". I think it looks so yummy!!! I can't wait to cast on my next dog sweater project (I just thought of Mia when I saw this yarn). It's 80% merino wool and 20% nylon and is machine washable! You can't ask for a better yarn. If this knits up well I can see many projects in the making...
I also picked up Sirdar Snuggly Baby Bamboo to knit up a chemo cap for my church group and a skein of Crofter Dk Shetland in a variegated pink that knits up in a fair isle effect. I'll blog my results with these yarns when I start knitting with them.
I've recently finished 3 baby hats for charity. All of them I whipped together using left over skeins of yarn. For the project at left this is the pattern I'm posting for free:

Varieagated Baby Hat Freebie
Size: 0-4 months
Yarn: Lion Brand's Wool Ease Yarn in Eggplant and Knit Picks Andean Silk yarn in black(scrap skeins of each). Any worsted weight yarn would work. (**note: The Andean Silk yarn makes this hat handwash only)
Needles: U.S. 6 circular and double pointed needles
Gauge: 10 sts & 11 rows = 2"sq. on U.S 6 in colorwork pattern for body of hat
Pattern: Cast on 64 stitches on U.S. 5 circular needles with main color (MC). Work 1.5 inches in 2x2 ribbing (K2, P2) in the round with MC.
Body of hat:
Round 1: K2 with main color, k2 with contrasting color (CC) across the row.
Round 2: K2 with CC, K2 with MC across the row.
Continue knitting rounds 1 and 2 until hat is 4 inches from cast on edge.
Deacreasing Hat: With CC knit aross round.
Round 1: Changing to CC knit across round
Round 2: *K6, k2tog (repeat across round)
Round 3: Knit
Round 4: *K5, k2tog (repeat across round)
Round 5: Knit
Round 6: *K4, k2tog (repeat across round)
Round 7: Knit
Round 8: *K3, k2tog (repeat across round)
Round 9: Knit
Round 10: *K2, k2tog (repeat across round)
Round 11: Knit
Round 12: *K1, k2together (repeat across round)
Round 13: *k2tog across round
Break Yarn and pull end through remaining stitches and pull tight. Weave in ends. Using a clover pom-pom maker make a medium sized pom-pom with MC and CC. Attached to top of hat.


**If you're interested in making this larger here are some suggested stitch counts to increase the size:

Newborn , cast on the 64 stitches as suggested.
3 - 6 months, cast on 72 stitches (do color-work section until 5 inches from cast on edge)
6 - 12 months, cast on 80 stitches (do color-work section until 5 1/2 inches from cast on edge)
1 - 2 years, cast on 88 stitches (do color-work section until 6 1/4 inches from cast on edge)
2 - 3 years, cast on 92 stitches (do color work section until 6 1/2 inches from cast on edge)
3 - 4 years, cast on 100 stitches (do color work section until 7 inches from cast on edge)

Again, check gauge and increase/decrease needle size as needed. I don't have children heads of all sizes to check size so plop it on your model as needed and make the height fit. Use the decrease round as written for all sizes.

-Sarah