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Santa and Elf Hats

© Lili Pintea-Reed

One fun project for the holidays are Santa and Elf Hats. They knit up quickly and --TV adds about knitters aside -- people LOVE them.

Remember to put on your Santa Hat and buy some extra toys for charity. Its one of our Christmas traditions that my son enjoys the most -- he picks out toys for the donation boxes.... Honest. Kids love to buy presents for "poor kids," so don't under estimate your kids.

Long ago and far away --well actually in the early 1960's --when I was a kid, my Dad would make take my brother Greg and I in tow and go off on Xmas Eve Day to get my Mom's gifts. This was dictated mostly by the need to stretch a young news reporter's few dollars to get my Mom the best Xmas Present for the money --at the Xmas Eve sales. After rushing like a wide receiver on an interception pass to the touchdown, my Dad with Mom's presents in sacks, would stop at the toy section. He would have us each pick out a toy "for the poor kids." We would place them in the big collection box by the department store door, and go on home. But it made me feel nice and its a part of or holiday tradition I choose to pass on to my son.

But off my soap box. Here's the pattern.

Santa or Elf Hat
2-3 oz. red or green worsted weight yarn
1 oz. white worsted weight yarn.
Number six American needles
Number eight American needles

Directions:
Cast on 50 stitches for a child's hat or sixty stitches for an adult's hat in white yarn on number six needles. Work ten rows in knit one, purl one rib.
Change to number eight needles.
Work in stocking stitch for 18 rows. Then work a decrease row of *knit two, knit two together* across. Work eight more rows even. Then do another decrease row of *knit two, knit two together* across. Work even for eight more rows. The point should be looking good. Then Decrease as before Every Other Row until 6 stitches remain.

Stitch back together if you didn't use circular or double points. Make pompom for top if desired. Happy Holidays! Lil

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