Monday 13 May 2013

Om Nom Hat

My girlfriend is a gamer and a nerd. She loves interesting knitted hats, and when she saw an Om Nom hat for sale on Etsy, she wanted one immediately.

I don't crochet, so I set out to recreate one in knitting.

This is a pattern based on Hannah by Blake Ehrenreich, but you could use any hat pattern, as long as it is worked from brim to crown, and you start the antenna with 8 stitches.

The reason for choosing Hannah as the base was two-fold. Firstly, I made a lovely, pink Hannah from Manos del Uruguay a few years ago and the Girl envies it! Secondly, because of the deep brim and the purl ridge that marks the beginning of the crown, I knew it would be very easy to place Om Nom's teeth. I didn't want them hanging over the edge of the hat.

Om Nom
When I made Hannah in the past, the back opening around the pony tail curled inwards, so I worked 2 stitches on each end in garter stitch to prevent that.

Garter stitch around the pony tail
opening prevents curling
Click here to see my project on Ravelry.

Yarn: A worsted or aran in Om Nom green (15 stitches and 20 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch on 6mm needles). When I finally found the right colour, it didn't come in worsted or aran, so I used Hayfield Baby DK 'In the Limelight' held double, and it turned out well. It's very soft.

Notions: White felt, black marker, a small amount of toy stuffing.

Antenna pattern:
starting on the final round of Hannah as written (or working the last round of decreases on your hat pattern of choice):

Rnd 40: (K2tog) 6 times—8 sts.
Rnd 41 - 48: knit around

Divide sts so that the four at the front of the hat are on one needle, and hold the back four on a separate needle. You will work the four front stitches flat for the next few rows.

Row 1: slip 1, p to end
Row 2: slip 1, k to end

Work these two rows until you’ve worked 5 rows (i.e. ending on row 1).

Knit across these 4 sts*. Using a new needle, pick up 5 sts from the slipped sts on the end of the rows, and knit 2 of the held sts. Using a third needle, knit 2 of the held sts and pick up 5 along the other slipped edge.

*If it matters to the pattern - e.g. if you're making Hannah, these should be at the front of the hat

You should now have 18 stitches on three needles.
Work around these 18 stitches for about 2cm.

At this point, stuff the top of the antenna firmly.

Next round: knit 2 together around (9 sts)
Next round: knit 1, knit 2 together around (6 sts)

To finish: cut the yarn leaving a tail. Thread the end of the tail onto a sewing needle and pull the yarn through the last 6 sts.

The face
I used white felt and black marker pen.
  1. Draw around a jam-jar twice on the back of the white felt (with a pencil!) to create two overlapping circles.
  2. Trace these circles with a black marker to the point where they bisect so that you have a goggle shape. Add pupils.
  3. Make 4 triangles of white felt with a black outline for the teeth and place them along the purl ridge above the ribs.
  4. Sew the features in place and wear with pride.