Are you from the 16th century? Are you a whaler? Are you a Basque whaler? Yeah, me neither. But would you like to look like one?
Saw this post. Thought, I want that hat. Made it. Wrote the pattern. Bon appetit.
PATTERN ↓
From 1530 until the early 1600s, Basque whalers annually crossed the Atlantic Ocean to Canada. During the ice-free months of June to January, scores of workers established a semi-permanent station dedicated to processing the harvest on the shore of the Strait of Belle Isle, a narrow channel on the whales' migratory route between Newfoundland and the mainland of Labrador.
In the winter of 1577, the sea ice set early, trapping ships. Unable to return to their homeland in northern Spain and southern France with a full hold of processed whale oil, many were forced to stay in Labrador, where they died of exposure and scurvy.
In the 1970s, the site was rediscovered. More than 62 graves and the remains of 140 whalers were found in the cemetery. Some of the graves contained textile fragments.
(Piecework Magazine, Jan/Feb 2014)
NOTES I am still a beginner knitter. I started this hat without a plan, I just looked at the pictures and tried to make something that looked kind of similar. Used a ball of mystery yarn from my nan. And it turned out great! And then I blocked it. And it was too big (the guy who never knits swatches finally got bit in the arse, who would've thought). My tension is okay-ish but on the tighter side, so if your head is bigger than mine, you'll be grand. Also, I've never written a pattern before, so I hope it makes some sense.
YOU WILL NEED
≈ 80g of DK weight yarn
A set of 4mm (US 6) double-pointed needless
Darning needle
A piece of cardboard (or something else to wrap the yarn around to make a tassel)
Scissors
SIZE ↕ 31cm (12”) (without the tassel) and ↔ 25cm (9.5”) (my head is 55cm (21.5”), and it fits quite well, but it could stretch a bit more and still look good)
DIRECTIONS
SEED STITCH STRIPES
Cast on 84 stitches and join in the round
Work in seed stitch for 11 rounds (round 1: *K1, P1*; staring with round 2 you just P the knits and K the purls)
Purl 1 round
Knit 8 rounds
Purl 1 round
Work in seed stitch for 7 rounds
Purl 1 round
Continue in stocking stitch (*K*) until the hat measures 11-12cm (4.5”) from cast on edge
CROWN DECREASES AND PURL STRIPES
(It's a lot, I know. But I like the look of these better than the usual crown decreases, they're a bit less visible)
Dec#1: K5, *K2tog, K10* × 6, K2tog, K5 [77]
Knit 4 rounds
Dec #2: K5, *K2tog, K9* × 6, K2tog, K4 [70]
Knit 3 rounds
Dec #3: K4, *K2tog, K8* × 6, K2tog, K4 [63]
Knit 3 rounds
Dec #4: K4, *K2tog, K7* × 6, K2tog, K3 [56]
Purl 1 round
Knit 1 round
Dec #5: K3, *K2tog, K6* × 6, K2tog, K3 [49]
Knit 1 round
Dec #6: K3, *K2tog, K5* × 6, K2tog, K2 [42]
Purl 1 round
THE CONE (idk what to call it)
Knit 2 rounds
Work 5 rounds of *K1tbl, P1* rib (you don't have to twist the knits if you can make the 1×1 rib look neat. I can't, so…)
Continue in stocking stitch for 7-8cm (3”) (or more, depending on how floppy you want your hat to be)
Dec #1: K3, *K2tog, K5* × 5, K2tog, K2 [36]
Knit 3 rounds
Dec #2: K2, *K2tog, K4* × 5, K2tog, K2 [30]
Knit 2 rounds
Dec #3: K3, *K2tog, K3* × 5, K2tog, K1 [24]
Knit 2 rounds
Dec #4: K1, *K2tog, K2* × 5, K2tog, K1 [18]
Knit 1 round
Dec #5: *K2tog* [9]
Cut yarn and thread it through the remaining 9 stitches, pull tightly (I usually do it twice), secure on the wrong side
TASSEL
Make a tassel (I used a paint brush case instead of a piece of cardboard and wrapped yarn around it 45 times)
Attach it to the hat
FINISHING
Weave in all ends
Block the hat
CONGRATULATIONS
You can go whaling reread Moby-Dick and rewatch The North Water in style!
Another Basque Whaler’s hat has come into the world (not out of a grave this time)…
This was a clear, easy pattern to knit! Thank you so much for creating it! I really love the way the seed stitch bands sit over the ears.
Yarn is hand-spun BFL, two fingering-ish strands held together, on Size 4 needles. I cast on one more multiple of 12 (96) for my big head and the different gauge.
I also did a Channel Island Cast-on for a little more seafaring flair…
Just finished a sweater. With some modifications from the pattern. Mostly done because I couldn't deal with taking it back apart and redoing the sleeves. 😂
Current project. Knited capelet. The pattern calls for one color, but I figure why go easy on myself, use it as a stash buster and use multiple colors...it's possible I make poor choices sometimes.
Finally finished my linen stitch scarf after about 2 years of procrastination. It’s made with Red Heart Boutique Unforgettable yarn in Echo. I’m not even sure if they still make this yarn.
I’m still alive! Haven’t been working on much because summer. Just finished a half granny square shawl for a friend. This my newest project, the Dawn Hooded Cowl. I got the pattern from Crochet Ever After on etsy. I’m super looking forward to finishing it so I can wear it.
The blanket is finished. Think I'll send it to my step sister-in-law. There is a baby on the way and blankets are traditional. I'm actually pretty happy with how it came out for all that I got sick of it less than half way through.
