Garn
Pickles Extra Fine Merino, main colour, 100 (100) 150 (150) g
50 g of 2 pattern colours, 100 g of one pattern colour (which will be used for mittens)
We have used Party Mint, Sunflower, Chocolate and Pale Kakhi.

The kit can also be made from Pickles Pure Alpaca for an even warmer kit. You will need one ball extra per colour.

Needles
DP needles US 4 and 8.
Small circular needle US 8.

Gauge
US 8:
About 16 stitches = 4 "
US 4:
21 stitches = 4 "

HAT
Cast on 48 (56) 64 (72) stitches LOOSELY on small US circular needles 8. Use double strands of the main colour. Cast on on a larger needle to make sure the hat is loose enough at the bottom. Knit in the round.

Knit a rib, K2, P2 for 2 (2) 2.4 (2.4)".
Knit 4 rounds of the main colours. Continue knitting stripes of rounds.
To achieve jogless stripes we knit like this: Knit one round of the new colour. When you reach the first stitch of the new colour, knit into the stitch below, and knit the stitch below and the stich over together:
This will make the stripes look more even, but it will look like you´ve only have three rows of this colour at this particular place (See below). We still prefer this to the jogged stripes.
When the work is 5.1 (5.5) 5.9 (6.7)” you´ll start decreasing. Use double pointed needles.
Decrease like this:

K 6, K2tog. Repeat 6 (7) 8 (9) times around.

K 1 round

K 5, K2tog. Repeat 6 (7) 8 (9) times around.

K 1 round

K 4, K2tog. Repeat 6 (7) 8 (9) times around.

K 3, K2tog. Repeat 6 (7) 8 (9) times around.

K 2, K2tog. Repeat 6 (7) 8 (9) times around.

K 1, K2tog. Repeat 6 (7) 8 (9) times around.

K2tog one round.

Cut the yarn and thread the end through the remaining stitches. Pull and assemble. Make a pom pom and sew it to on to the top of the hat.

NECK WARMER
Cast on 44 (48) 52 (56) stitches LOOSELY on small US circular needles 8. Use double strands of the main colour. Cast on on a larger needle to make sure the neckwarmer will fit over the head. Knit in the round.

Knit a rib, K 2, P 2 for 6.2 (7) 7.9 (8.7)”.

Start knitting. Increase one stitch in every stitch throughout the first round = 88 (96) 104 (112) stitches.

Keep on knitting 3 (3) 4 (4) rounds in total of the main colour. Knit 3 (3) 4 (4) rounds of each of the three pattern colours. Use the main colour and * knit 1 round, purl 1 round*. Repeat from * to * for 8 rounds.

Cast off.

MITTENS
Cast on 24 (28) 28 (32) stitches on double pointed needles US 4. Use one thread in a pattern colour.
Knit rib, K 1, P 1 until the piece is 3.1 (3.5) 3.9 (4.7)”.
Start knitting and increase 4 stitches on the first round.
Knit 0.7 (1) 1.2 (1.4)”.

Make a hole for the thumb by knitting 6 (7) 8 in a contrasting colour. You will later on pick up the stitches on each side of the contrasting yarn, and pull the yarn out.

Cut the thread you are knitting with. Knit the first 6 (7) 7 (8) stitches in a contrasting colour. For the other thumb you knit 8 (9) 9 (10) stitches before knitting the contrasting yarn, putting the thumb in two different places for different hands.

Go back to knitting in the original colour again, and keep on knitting until the work is 2.7 (3.1) 3.5 (4.3)”. Start decreasing.

Make sure that needle 1 and 2 have the same number of stitches as needle 3 and 4, making sure the mitten will be the same size on both sides.

Knit 1, k2tog, knit until 3 stitches remain on needle 2, ssk, k1.
Knit 1, k2tog, knit until 3 stitches remain on needle 4, ssk, k1.
Knit 1 round.
Decrease one round in the same way as before.
Knit one round.
Decrease in the same way until 8 stitches remain. Cut the thread, and pull it through the remaining stitches.

Thumb
Pick up the stitches on each side of the contrasting yarn. Loosen the yarn and remove it.
Pick up one stitch on both sides (2 stitches in total).

Knit 1 (1.2) 1.4 (1.6)”.  Knit using 2 needles from here on in. Make sure there are as many stitches on needle 1 as on needle 2.

Knit the first two stitches on each needle together, ssk the last two stitches on each needle 2 (3) 4 times in total. Pull a thread through the remaining stitches and assemble the ends.