Beginners Dilemma with Watchman's Cap

by Jacquie
(Curlew, WA)

Okay so I'm a beginner and wanted to make this "World War II Watchmans Cap (Beanie No. 212)" on straight needles (I have included the portion of the pattern I am using below).

I have completed the first section and am ready to start the crown shaping. I realized that it did not clarify that I would have to purl alternate rows to keep to my stockinette stitch.

However I am stymied with the decrease process.

If I start my knit row with the knit one, slip one, passover, how will I start my purl row?

Are the decrease stitches the same above each other from row to row or do the alternate?

Beginners - Straight Needle option:

This hat can be knit on 2 straight needles instead of knitting in the round. Two extra stitches are added to the pattern for ease of sewing the seam up the side of the hat.

Cast on 98 (106, 114) stitches using long-tail cast on or other method of cast on which has stretch in it. Work in ribbing of knit 2, purl 2, for 6 inches, which should be approximately 42 rows, knitting the first and last stitch of each row.

Switch to ribbing of knit 6, purl 2, for 22 rows, which will create 6 stitch panels of plain stockinette stitch, or use one of the pattern 6- stitch panels in place of the stockinette 6-stitch panel for variety.

Crown shaping:

Place stitch markers as follows:

112 st hat = place a stitch marker after 37 stitches, then place a second stitch marker after 37 stitches so that 38 stitches follow the second marker.

Stitches will be divided on needle this way:

37 stitches, marker, 38 stitches, marker, 38 stitches.

Decrease 1 stitch on each side of marker as follows:

*knit 1, slip 1, knit 1, pass the slipped stitch over the knitted stitch ("slip-k-pass"), knit to within 3 stitches of next marker, knit 2 stitches together (k2 tog), knit to the last stitch; repeat from * until 4 stitches remain on each side of the stitch markers.

For the last decrease, only make the decreases necessary for 12 stitches to remain on the needle.

YOUR ANSWER

Hi Jacquie

I did a quick search for the pattern online and found a free copy on Rivalry (see link above) so that I could look at the instructions for the cap knitted in the round to double check what the pattern is telling you to do.

Basically the decreases are done on every row when it is knitted in the round, so you will have to do decreases on your purl rows as well.

Knit rows (as above):

*knit 1, slip 1, knit 1, pass the slipped stitch over the knitted stitch ("slip-k-pass"), knit to within 3 stitches of next marker, knit 2 stitches together (k2 tog), k1; repeat from * twice to end of row.

Purl Rows:

*purl 1, purl 2 together through back of loops, (p2tog tbl), purl to within 3 stitches of next marker, purl 2 together (p2 tog), purl 1; repeat from * twice to end of row.

Repeat these two rows until you have 4 stitches remaining.