Felted Cloche Pattern

Size:
-Pre-felting: aprx. 22" circumerence and 12" length (including brim)
-After felting: aprx. 21" circumference and 8" length (including brim)

Materials:

-Briggs & Little Heritage - 100 % wool, 215 yd/196m per 4 oz/113 g ball; Colour 41 (Navy Blue), 2 balls (aprx. 6.75 oz / 190 g / 365 yd / 333 m) per hat
-1 set of US #9/5.5mm dpns
-1 US #9/5.5mm circular needle, 24" length or less (optional)

Gauge: 15 sts and 23 rows = 4 in/10 cm on 5.5 mm needles (Note - to facilitate felting, the hat is knit at a looser gauge than the 17 stitches to 4 in/10cm recommended on the ball band).

Directions: Using dpns or circular needle, cast on 100 stitches. Mark beginning of round. Work in stockinette stitch* in the round until work measures 2.5 inches.

*Note - if you don't like the little roll on the brim of the hat, work the brim in garter stitch instead of stockinette.

Hat with garter stitch brim:

Next row: K3, k2tog around - 80 stitches remain. Continue working in stockinette stitch, in the round, until work measures 8.5 inches from the beginning.

Begin crown shaping:

Row 1 - *k8, k2tog* around.

Row 2 and 3 - k around.

Row 4 - *k7, k2tog* around.

Row 5 and 6 - k around.

Row 7 - *k6, k2tog* around.

Row 8 - k around.

Row 9 - *k5, k2tog* around.

Row 10 - k around.

Row 11 - *k4, k2tog* around.

Row 12 - k around.

Row 13 - *k3, k2tog* around.

Row 14 - *k2, k2tog* around.

Row 15 - *k1, k2tog* around.

Row 16 - *k2tog* around.

Break yarn and pull through remaining 8 stitches.Weave in ends.

Hat pre-felting (on a phone book for scale):

Felting: Put the hat in a lingierie bag or an old pillow-case and put it in the washing machine with a little soap and some old clothes for friction (I used dark-coloured clothes in case the dye from this dark-coloured hat ran), on hot water setting. Check hat frequently. Throw it in the washing machine again if it isn't small enough yet - I had to send my hat through four times.

Hat after felting (on the same phone book):

A family history of the cloche:

From left to right: my grandmother, great-grandmother, and my great-aunt have come from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to Montreal, Quebec in May of 1929 and worn their fashionable hats while visiting the big city!