Knitting Pattern - 1940s-style Turban Hat

turban_sideL
Originally uploaded by ennalss

Yarn - Icelandic Lopi. About 2/3 of a skein. Choose needle size to obtain gage - approx 4 st: 1 inch in garter stitch.

Using waste yarn, CO 12 st.
Knit one row with main yarn leaving a 8" tail .
Row 1: *yo, sl1pw, k1* Repeat from *to* to the end of the row.
Row 2: *yo, sl1pw, k2tog* Rep *to* to the end of the row.

Repeat Row 2 until headband fits around head. End on a row where the 8" tail is the same side as the live yarn. Cut the waste yarn off the first-row stitches and place them on a dpn. Give the starting end a twist and, using the tail, graft the two ends together. Don't worry too much about making the graft invisible.

You should now have a Mobius loop. Hold it so the twist is at the front, covering the graft. Switch to dpns or a circular needle and, holding the remaining tail together with the live yarn, begin picking up and knitting stitches along the edge - this will save on weaving in the tail later. Pick up and knit 50 stitches - by now you should have come round again to the twist at the front. Pick up and knit the last 12 stitches across the fold rather than the edge and join to begin knitting in the round. 62 stitches.

Purl 1 round. Continue in garter stitch (K one round, P one round) for another 6 rounds.

(Decreasing to form crown)
*K10, K2tog.* 5x. K2tog.
P one round.
*K9, K2tog.* 4x. K9, sl1, K2tog, psso.
Purl one round.
*K8, K2tog.*
P one round.
*K7, K2tog.*
P one round.
*K6, K2tog.*
P one round.
*K5, K2tog.*
P one round.
*K4, K2tog.*
P one round.
*K3, K2tog.*
P one round.
*K2, K2tog.*
P one round.
*K1, K2tog.*
P one round.
K2tog all the way around. Cut yarn leaving a 4" tail, thread it through remaining 5 st and draw them together. Tie off yarn.

Try on - if too small, wet and block, stretching it to fit over your head. A styrofoam head may be helpful here.

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