Helmetliners Step by Step

To knit a helmetliners, you need:

Approximately 175 yards of 100% wool yarn in appropriate colors (black, charcoal, brown, tan, olive)

* Helmetheads KAL has an extensive list of yarns that work.

US 6 16" circular needles
US 8 16" circular needles
US 8 double point needles
One stitch marker

Directions:

Based on pattern designed by Bonnie Long, Knit Wits, 3419 Chatham Road, Springfield, IL 62704 (217) 698-6100

and Short Row Revision by Bonnie Evans

NECK:
With US 6 needles, cast on 84 stitches loosely.

Place marker. Join in the round. Knit (K2P2) ribbing for:
5" inches for the Original Helmetliner Pattern
or
4 1/2 " for the Short Row Revision Pattern.

Short Row Revision:

Using the larger needles knit 32 stitches and leave them on the larger needle for later. You will have 52 stitches on your smaller needle and will begin knitting back and forth on them for 12 short rows. On the last row, you will K2, P2 across through the last stitch on the smaller needle, picking up the wraps as you come to them, and knitting them together with the stitch beside them.

Leave these 52 stitches on the smaller needle to be worked later.

This is the completed ribbing for Short Row Revision.

To Make HAT Portion

Original Pattern:

With US 8 needles, knit 32 stitches off of smaller needle. (Leave the remaining 52 stitches on the smaller needle.) Cast on an additional 59 stitches for a total of 91 stitches on the larger needles. Place marker, join in the round, and Knit even for 4".

Short Row Revision:

With larger needle, knit the 32 stitches on that needle. Cast on 59 additional stitches, place marker, join in the round, and knit even for 4".

Shaping the crown:

After knitting 4", begin shaping the crown by decreasing.

1st Decrease Row: *Knit 11, K2 tog*, repeat to end of round.

Next Row: Knit even. (84 sts)

2nd Decrease Row: *Knit 10, K2tog*, repeat to end of round.

Next Row: Knit even. (77 sts)

3rd Decrease Row: *Knit 9, K2tog*, repeat to end of round.

Next Row: Knit even. (70 sts)

Continue decreases as established.

Change to DPN when necessary. Continue decreases in this manner until you get to K2, K2tog. After this, decrease every round until...
7 stitches remain.
Cut yarn 8-9" long, feed through remaining stitches,

and weave in on the wrong side. The hat portion is now completed. Ribbing Around the Face:

Using the smaller needle with 52 stitches on it, pick up an additional 60 sts for a total of 112 sts around the face.

Place a marker, join in the round, and (K2P2) for 1".

For the SRR pattern, you will pick the wraps on the right side and knit together with the stitch next to them on the first row of face ribbing.

On the last row of ribbing, knit as follows:

(K2, P2tog) 2x; K2, P2 over the next 34 sts, ending with a K2; P2tog, K2, P2tog; K2, P2, K2; P2tog, K2, P2tog; K2, P2 over next 42 sts, ending with a K2; P2tog, K2, P2tog; K2, P2.

Bind off in ribbing pattern and weave in tail.