I learnt how to knit the hedgehog stitch and naturally had to put my new skill to use immediately. What could be simpler than baby booties and a hat 🙂
Booties
I cast on 40 stitches.
Rows 1 and 2 – knit
Row 3 – edge stitch, yarn over, knit 18, yarn over, knit 2, yarn over, knit 18, yarn over, knit 1
Row 4 – edge stitch, knit the rest; I worked the yarn overs through the back loop so no holes would show.
Row 5 – edge stitch, knit 1, yarn over, knit 18, yarn over, knit 4, yarn over, knit 18, yarn over, knit 2
Row 6 – edge stitch, knit the rest
Row 7 – edge stitch, knit 2, yarn over, knit 18, yarn over, knit 6, yarn over, knit 18, yarn over, knit 2
Row 8 – edge stitch, knit the rest
Row 9 – edge stitch, knit 3, yarn over, knit 18, yarn over, knit 8, yarn over, knit 18, yarn over, knit 4
Row 10 – edge stitch, knit the rest
Row 11 – edge stitch, knit 4, yarn over, knit 18, yarn over, knit 10, yarn over, knit 18, yarn over, knit 5
There are now 60 stitches on the needle.
Rows 12–13 – knit stitches. The first stitch of every row is always an edge stitch, slipped without knitting.
- row – I started knitting the hedgehog stitch . Three pattern repeats. One repeat is four rows (rows 14–17). I made the first repeat in pink. On the final return row of the first repeat, while working 1×1 rib, I changed back to the main yarn.
Row 30 – knit all stitches
Next I had to shape the top of the bootie. For this I decreased 15 stitches in the centre.
Row 31 – edge stitch, knit 14, knit 2 together, repeated 15 times, then knit 15 after the decreases. 45 stitches remain on the needle.
Rows 32–34 – edge stitch, knit the rest. I changed yarn on row 34.
- row – I knitted 10 stitches, decreased 25 stitches with knit slip-over decreases, then knitted 10 stitches.
From row 36 onwards I joined the back as I knitted and cast on an extra 20 stitches at the edge for the fastening strap. On one bootie at the right edge, on the other at the left edge.
Row 37 – knit
Row 38 – knit; I changed back to the main colour
Row 39 – I made the buttonhole: knitted 3 stitches from the start of the strap, decreased at the third stitch, then knitted the remaining stitches.
Row 40 – over the decreases from the previous row I made 3 yarn overs
Row 41 – knit
- row – I changed from the main yarn to pink
Row 43 – knit
Row 44 – I decreased with a knit slip-over decrease. Then all that remained was to secure and hide the loose yarn ends, sew the sole and heel seams, finish the buttonholes with buttonhole stitch and, because of my obsession that knitted things must have buttons made from yarn, makebuttons from yarn.
More detailed bootie instructions and pictures (in Russian)
Hat
I allowed for a 40 cm head circumference, suitable for a baby of about 2–3 months, although it stretches and may fit an older baby too. I take all measurements from the knitting itself, before steaming.
I started with 80 stitches. I knitted the first two rows in ordinary 1×1 rib. After that I slipped the knit stitch without knitting and knitted the purl stitch to the end of the row. On the return row I knitted all stitches. I worked six rows like this.
Then I started knitting the hedgehog stitch . I knitted until the hat was 14 cm high.
I decreased like this:
Row 1 – knit, knit 3 together with a slip-over decrease, knit, etc. The first and fifth stitches of the decrease sequence are purl stitches; I knitted the knit stitches.
Row 2 – knit 3 together with a slip-over decrease to the end of the row
- row – I decreased all remaining stitches. Here I passed each following stitch over the very first stitch. I fastened the yarn securely and used the same yarn to sew the back of the hat together. I graft seams because I prefer the finish and it avoids a thick seam line. I grafted the bootie seams too.
This was the result
