Buffalo Bills Knit Toque

I loved this bomber hat, but wanted to make it personal for a Buffalo Bills fan, so I added this motif (the pattern is on Ravelry) as the back flap.

My local knitting store had colours that matched the Bills colours fairly well, but they were a much smaller yarn width. So I adjusted the original pattern using ratios (also making it bigger to fit Uncle Lloyd's big head - his words, not mine!).

Here's the pattern:

kfb means knit 1 front and back (it’s an increase)

ssk means slip, slip knit stitches together (a decrease)

this hat is huge (fits my 25" head very comfortably).

Tools: US 7 DPN and 16” Circular or size to obtain gauge; stitch marker; tapestry needle

Gauge: 11 stitches and 14 rows = 2” square

Pattern:

Earflaps:

With two DPNs, CO 18st

row 1: k1, purl to last st, k1

row 2: k1, kfb, knit to last two sts, kfb, k1

repeat rows 1 and 2 until there are 30sts on the needle

next row: k1, purl to last st, k1

next row: knit across

Continue in this manner until piece measures 3.7in from cast-on edge

Leaving earflap on needle, cut a 12” tail of yarn.

Repeat for second earflap.

Hat:

With circular, CO 19sts, then, using the active yarn from your CO sts, knit the 30sts of the first earflap onto the circular. CO 39sts and then knit the 30sts of the second earflap onto the circular. CO 20sts – 138 sts total.

Being careful not to twist, place marker and join.

row 1: k9, p1, k9, p2tog, k26, p2tog, k9, p1, k9, p1, k9, p1, k9, p2tog, k26, p2tog, k9, p1, k9, p1 (134 sts)

row 2: k9, p1, k9, p1, k26, p1, k9, p1, k9, p1, k9, p1, k9, p1, k26, p1, k9, p1, k9, p1

Repeat row 2 until piece measures 7.5’ (?) from cast-on edge (11” (?) from earflap base) or desired length.

Begin decreases, switching to DPNs as needed:

(this is where the pattern gets confusing – there’s a lot of counting. but you’re just following the same purl pattern only you’re decreasing in a series of four rows: outer earflap/center segments, inner earflap, outer earflap/outer segments, inner earflap)

dec row 1: k2tog, k5, ssk, p1, k9, p1, k2tog, k22, ssk, p1, k9, p1, ssk, k5, k2tog, p1, k2tog, k5, ssk, p1, k9, p1, k2tog, k22, ssk, p1, k9, p1, ssk, k5, k2tog, p1 (122 sts)

dec row 2: k7, p1, k9, p1, k8, k2tog, k4, ssk, k8, p1, k9, p1, k7, p1, k7, p1, k9, p1, k8, k2tog, k4, ssk, k8, p1, k9, p1, k7, p1 (118 sts)

dec row 3: k7, p1, k2tog, k5, ssk, p1, k2tog, k18, ssk, p1, ssk, k5, k2tog, p1, k7, p1, k7, p1, k2tog, k5, ssk, p1, k2tog, k18, ssk, p1, ssk, k5, k2tog, p1, k7, p1 (106 sts)

dec row 4: k7, p1, k7, p1, k6, k2tog, k4, ssk, k6, p1, k7, p1, k7, p1, k7, p1, k7, p1, k6, k2tog, k4, ssk, k6, p1, k7, p1, k7, p1 (102 sts)

dec row 5: k2tog, k3, ssk, p1, k7, p1, k2tog, k14, ssk, p1, k7, p1, ssk, k3, k2tog, p1, k2tog, k3, ssk, p1, k7, p1, k2tog, k14, ssk, p1, ssk, k3, k2tog, p1, k7, p1 (90)

dec row 6: k5, p1, k7, p1, k4, k2tog, k4, ssk, k4, p1, k7, p1, k5, p1, k5, p1, k7, p1, k4, k2tog, k4, ssk, k4, p1, k5, p1, k7, p1 (86 sts)

dec row 7: k5, p1, k2tog, k3, ssk, p1, k2tog, k10, ssk, 1, ssk, k3, k2tog, p1, k5, p1, k5, p1, k2, k2tog, k3, ssk, p1, k2tog, , k10, ssk, p1, ssk, k3, k2tog, p1, k5, p1 (74 stitches)

dec row 8: k5, p1, k5, p1, k3, k2tog, k4, ssk, k2, p1, k5, p1, k5, p1, k5, p1, k5, p1, k2, k2tog, k4, ssk, k2, p1, k5, p1, k5, p1 (70 sts)

dec row 9: k2tog, k1, ssk, p1, k5, p1, k2tog, k6, ssk, p1, k5, p1, ssk, k1, k2tog, p1, k2tog, k1, ssk, p1, k5, p1, k2tog, k6, ssk, p1, ssk, k1 ,k2tog, p1, k5, p1 (58 sts)

dec row 10: k3, p1, k5, p1, k2tog, k4, ssk, p1, k5, p1, k3, p1, k3, p1, k5, p1, k2tog, k4, ssk, p1, k3, p1, k5, p1 (54 sts)

dec row 11: k3, p1, k2tog, k1, ssk, p1, k2tog, k2, ssk, p1, ssk, k3, k2tog, p1, k5, p1, k2tog, k1, ssk, p1, k2tog, k2, ssk, p1, ssk, k1, k2tog, p1, k5, p1 (42 sts)

dec row 12: k3, p1, k3, p1, k2tog, ssk, p1, k3, p1, k3, p1, k3, p1, k3, p1, k2tog, ssk, p1, k3, p1, k3, p1 (38 sts)

cut yarn and pull through rem stitches. Draw up tightly to fasten. Weave in ends.

Make flaps:

Pick up 39 sts along bottom edge between earflaps. Knitting first stitch of every row, knit in stockinette until flap measures desired length. BO knitwise on the WS. Weave in ends. Repeate for second flap. (The back flap has the buffalo motif knit into it.)

I-Cords: Pick up middle three stitches on one earflap. Knit a 10” I-cord. BO loosely and weave in ends. Repeat for second earflap.

The hat ended up being too big so I felted it:

Then I added a liner following this tutorial.