Fric and Frac

So, I was knitting away on a pair of socks. I finished one, and frankly, needed a break. So I cast on randomly for a hat. The out come is "Fric and Frac".

A bit o' background for ya'. Me Cousin Mel is a year younger than me, and lived less than 5 minutes away growing up. We spent a lot of time together. We called each other plenty of names - one of which was "fric and frac". In many ways we were similar - we both played instruments, were in sports, in choir, went to the same church, and even dated the same person - a year apart. But, we thought we were completely different. Mel played the flute and tuba, I played clarinet and percussion. She sang soprano, I sang alto. She had brown hair, I had blonde. Mel was good a sports, I frankly wasn't. When I cast on for my hat, I was purely setting out to experiment with variegating yarn. I ended up thinking about my cousin - who now lives so far away - but is still just as close to my heart.

I chose two colors of Paton's SWS that frankly, really aren't like each other, yet go together in an odd way. Much like Mel and Me.

"Fric and Frac"

Supplies:

Yarn: Paton's SWS in Natural Denim (#1) and Natural Plum(#2) - less than 1 ball each

Needles: size 7 circulars for ML, or size 7 DPNs

Other: Yarn needle, scissors, st marker

Size: to fit a small adult, or kid's head - approx. 20" around

Gauge: 4.5 x 6 st per inch

Pattern:

CO 64 stitches in color #1 (natural denim). Join for working in the round. Place marker to mark beginning of round.

(k2 p2) for 5 rounds.

knit 5 rounds.

Join color #2 (natural plum). note: the unused color should be carried up the hat, at the beginning of the round, twisting to prevent holes.

Knit with color #2 for 3 rounds, carrying color #1 up the hat.

Using color #1, and knit 6 rounds, carrying color #2

k 2 rounds color #2.

K7 rounds color #1

K1 round color #2

K7 rounds color #1

K3 rounds color #2

K2 rounds color #1

** if you need to increase the length of the hat, do it here, striping away at random, ending with 2 rows of color #1.

Start decreases:

still using color #1

row 1(K6, k2tog)

row 2 knit

row 3(k5, k2tog)

row 4(k4, k2tog)

switch to color #2

row 5(k3, k2tog)

row 6 (k2, k2tog)

row 7 (k1, k2tog) break color 2 at end of round

Using color #1
row 8 (k2tog) 8 sts remain.

Break color #1, and pull yarn through remaining 8 sts. Sew in ends. If you carried the unused yarns up the hat, you should only have 4 tails.