Baby Tulip Sun Hat

This is an all cotton hat that will be cute for spring or summer, and help keep the sun out of baby's eyes.  I had some time this last week to slow down, not really by choice, my appendix decided that it was going to act up, so it had to come out.  I looked at lots of patterns and got lots of ideas, and after trying a tulip border for a dish cloth decided I wanted to do one into a hat.  For this hat I learned a new stitch, the ball stitch, and then made a Y stitch that I will explain in the pattern, it is not hard and worked great for the leaves.

For this I used Bernat Cottontots yarn in the following colors:

Sweet Cream

Poppy

Catnip

This was stash yarn, so no longer available, however, Lion Brand Cotton Ease, or Lion Brand Natures choice would also work nicely.  You could also use Cascade Yarns Luna, or Avalon.  

You will need a size I or 5.5mm hook, and a yarn needle.

Size 6-12 months

Using cream make a magic loop or a make a ch 4 loop then ch 1.

Round 1:  do 10 HDC in the loop, draw it tight and sl st to the top of the first st.  

Round 2:  ch 1, do 2 HDC in each stitch around, sl st to the top of the first st.  (20 HDC)

Round 3:  ch 1, do *2 HDC in the first st, 1 HDC in the next, repeat around, sl st to the top of the first st.  (30 HDC).  

Round 4:  ch 1, do *2 HDC in the first st, 1 HDC in the next 5 sts, repeat around, sl st to the top of the first st.  (35 HDC)

Round 5:  ch 1, do *2 HDC in the first st, 1 HDC in the next 6 sts, repeat around, sl st to the top of the first st.  (40 HDC)

Round 6:  ch 1, do *2 HDC in the first st, 1 HDC in the next 7 sts, repeat around, sl st to the top of the first st.  (45 HDC)

Round 7:  ch 1, do *2 HDC in the first st, 1 HDC in the next 8 sts, repeat around, sl st to the top of the first st.  (50 HDC)

Rounds 8-10:  ch 1, do 1 HDC in each st around, sl st to the top of the first st.  (50 HDC)  Tie off after round 10 and switch to Poppy.  

The Ball Stitch is made by doing 4 HDC together.  The stitch is *YO (yarn over), insert hook into designated stitch, YO and draw through st, repeat this 3 more times, YO and draw through all 9 loops leaving one remaining.  

The Beginning Ball Stitch is made by doing a ch 1, YO, insert hook into same st, YO and draw through st,  repeat 2 more times, YO and draw through all 7 loops.  If you start with the ch 1 then a regular ball stitch your first ball stitch would be slightly bigger.  

Round 11:

You will be working the ball stitch in every other stitch around (25 balls).  To start with your beginning ball stitch, ch 1 (this will count as the first YO and draw through), then YO insert the hook in the same st as the ch, draw through, repeat 2 more times, YO and draw through all 7 loops, *(ch 2, sk the next st, and start the next regular ball stitch YO, insert hook into st, YO and draw through st, repeat this 3 more times, YO and draw through all 9 loop leaving one remaining).  Repeat from * around making a ball stitch in every other stitch, and sl st to the top of the first ball st and tie off.  Switch to Catnip.

Round 12:  this is a stitch I am going to call a Y stitch, you begin on one side of the ball, switch to the other side then finish the post of the stitch.  To start attach your catnip or green yarn next to any ball stitch, ch 2, YO insert hook in the ch 2 space on the other side of the ball stitch pull up a loop, YO pull through 2 loops, YO pull through last 2 loops, ch 2, then start the next Y stitch around the next ball stitch in the same ch 2 space from the previous row, *(YO insert hook and pull up a loop, YO pull through 2 loops, YO insert hook on the opposite side of the ball stitch pull up a loop, YO and pull through 2 loops, YO pull through the last 3 loops, ch 2).   repeat from * around to make the tulip stem around each ball stitch.  Slip stitch to the bottom of the first flower post and tie off.

Round 13:  switch back to cream ch 1 and do 2 HDC in each ch 2 space from the previous row, sl st to the top of the first st. (50 HDC)

Round 14:  ch 1, 1 HDC in each st around, sl st to the top of the first st. (50 HDC).
Round 15:  ch 1, 2 HDC in the first st, 1 HDC in the next, repeat around, sl st to the top of the first st. (75 sts).
Round 16:  ch 1, 2 HDC in the first st, 1 HDC in the next 4 sts, repeat around, sl st to the top of the first st. (90 HDC).
Round 17:  1 SC in each st around, sl st to the top of the first st, tie off and weave in all ends.  (90 SC)

Size 0-3 months

begin with your magic loop, ch 1.
Round 1:  make 10 HDC in the loop, sl st to the top of the first st.
Round 2:  ch 1, 2 HDC in each st around, sl st to the top of the first st. (20 HDC)
Round 3:  ch 1, 2 HDC in the first st, 1 HDC in the next st, repeat around, sl st to the top of the first st. (30 HDC).
Round 4:  ch 1, 2 HDC in the first st, 1 HDC in the next 5 sts, repeat around, sl st to the top of the first st. (35 HDC).
Round 5:  ch 1, 2 HDC in the first st, 1 HDC in the next 6 sts, repeat around, sl st to the top of the first st. (40 HDC).
Round 6:  ch 1, 2 HDC in the first st, 1 HDC in the next 9 sts, repeat around, sl st to the top of the first st. (44 HDC).
Rounds 7-8:  ch 1, 1 HDC in each st around, sl st to the top of the first ch, tie off after round 8 and switch to Poppy.
Round 9:  make a ball stitch in every other stitch around ch 2 between each ball (see above instructions). (22 ball stitches)
Round 10:  Follow instructions above in round 12 and make a Y stitch around each ball stitch, tie off and switch back to cream.
Round 11:  ch 1 and do 2 HDC in each ch 2 space from the previous row.  (44 HDC).
Round 12:  ch 1, do 2 HDC in the first st, and 1 HDC in the next repeat around, sl st to the top of the first st. (66 HDC).
Round 13:  ch 1, do 2 HDC in the first st, and 1 HDC in the next 5 sts, repeat around, sl st to the top of the first st.  (77 HDC).

Round 14: do 1 SC in each st around, sl st to the top of the first stitch, tie off and weave in all loose ends.