Nikki Van De Car
Chandika is a ferocious Hindu goddess, one who cannot tolerate evil acts, and who slays those who commit them, without mercy.
Sometimes, we all need to bring a little Chandika into our hearts. Though we probably shouldn’t do any actual slaying, and though ferocity, intolerance, and a lack of mercy are not qualities to foster, there are times when it feels necessary, as a woman, to declare that there is a right, and a wrong.
This hat is made in that spirit, with a light, feminine color pushing out from the dark, resolute.
Small, medium, large (shown in medium)
16 stitches and 25 rows = 4 inches in brioche
K1below: To knit into the stitch below, insert your right-hand needle from front to back into the middle of the stitch you worked on the previous round. Wrap your yarn as you normally would and pull it through, slipping the stitch off of your left-hand needle—don’t worry, nothing terrible will happen! The yarn will lie doubled, as if two stitches had been knit together.
Pattern:
Using MC, cast on 72 (76, 80) sts. Place marker and join to work in the round
Brim:
*K2, p2, repeat from * for 2 inches/5cm.
Set-up:
*K4, m1, repeat from * around. 90 (96**, 100) sts.
**Size Medium Only: Increase one extra stitch.
Body:
Round 1 (MC): Purl in MC
Round 2 (Change to CC): *K1, k1below, repeat from * around.
Round 3 (MC): Purl
Round 4 (CC): *K1below, k1, repeat from * around.
Repeat Rounds 1-4 for 6 inches/16 cm, ending with round 2 or 4, making a note so that you remember where you stopped.
Crown:
Using MC, *p2, p2tog, repeat from * to last 2 (0 0) sts, end p2 (0, 0). 68 (72, 75** sts)
Using CC, work Round 1 or 3, depending on whether you ended the Body of the hat with Round 2 or 4.
Using MC, *p1, p2tog, repeat from * to last 2 (0, 0) end p2 (0, 0). 44 (48, 50) sts.
Using CC, work Round 1 or 3, as appropriate.
Using MC, *p2tog, repeat from * around. 22 (24, 25) sts.
Break yarn, and use a tapestry needle to draw it through your remaining stitches, pulling tight to close. Weave in your ends.
