No, not a hat for a pumpkin. I’m clearing this up because yesterday, a woman came into the shop looking for needles with which to knit a pumpkin hat. When I said I had just knit one too, she laughed and said, “No, not a pumpkin-shaped hat, a hat for a pumpkin.” Since that’s maybe a thing, I thought I would clarify.

Anyway, pumpkin hats. I have been planning to knit one for Baby Roud (who was born on Oct. 2 and is a little girl and just adorable) ever since, well, before she was born. I think babies should have funny hats, because it’s funny, and pumpkins in the fall are pretty cute without delving into the range of potentially tacky or overly embarrassing. I looked around for a while to find the right pattern, and eventually settled on this one: Kürbis Baby Hat by Natalja (kürbis being German for pumpkin, apparently).

I changed the pattern a little, to make it smaller for a newborn (I cast on 10 fewer stitches and knit it on smaller needles) and after a few hours I had an adorable little pumpkin hat.

It is quite little, although it stretches, so I donated the original to the shop and I’m making a second, which will go to the baby. This time, I’m going to work the recommended number of stitches (10 more than last time), but stick with the tighter gauge. Honestly, it’s so quick and so cute, I think every baby I know is going to get one from now on.

Details
Pattern: Kürbis Baby Hat by Natalja
Yarn: Filatura di Crosa Zara in colourways 1928 (green) and 1939 (orange)
Needles: 2.75 mm for rolled brim, 3.25 mm for the rest
Modifications: For the first hat, I cast on 65 stitches, increasing to 70. I also purled a row to stop the brim from curling, which turned out to be unnecessary. For hat two, I cast on 75 stitches, which I will increase to 80. I won’t bother with the purl row, and when it comes to the decreases, I’ll make them all k2tog, since the ssks look messy. Photos of Pumpkin Hat 2 to come.