Ten years ago, my house in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, flooded in an unnamed freak storm, and it was awful. Lost almost everything, AND I was 10 weeks pregnant. The knitting community stepped up in a big way to help out- so many people bought patterns, many of you mailed me yarn to replace what I lost, yarn dyers made special colorways for me- it was all amazing. To say thank you, I’d like to offer 50% off all of my patterns, from now until Wednesday, August 19th. Use coupon code FLOOD. I love knitters (and crocheters!). You’re all incredible.

My husband is an avid duck hunter with a PhD in the study of animal behavior, namely ducks. Needless to say, we have a lot of ducks in our life. Quite a while ago, he asked me for a knitted hat that looked like a duck, with all of the features 3-D. I thought, no. We have enough ducks. And I knew there was no way I’d go out in public with someone who had a duck on their head. So I ignored him. He asked again, and then again, and then started to bug me about it, so I caved. The Duck Hat is the result, and it actually is pretty funny.

The Duck Hat starts with a bottom-up earflap hat. The
features are knit separately and sewn on. There are many techniques needed to knit the Duck Hat, but it’s not too daunting. Switch up the colors of the head and wings to make your favorite duck, or come up with an entirely new species. Animal hats are always funny.

Skills needed: Knitting in the round, basic increases and decreases, intarsia, i-cord, short rows, seaming, Kitchener stitch, cable cast on.

Yarn Requirements:
Cascade 220 (100% Wool; 220 yd/201 m per 100g skein); colors:
MC oatmeal 2442; 1 skein
CC1 natural 8505; small amount
CC2 green 2409; small amount
CC3 dark brown 8686; small amount
CC4 dark blue 7348; small amount
CC5 orange 8724; small amount

Recommended Needles:
Change needle size if necessary to achieve correct gauge.
1 set 4 or 5 US 7 (4.5mm) double-point needles (dpns)
US 7 (4.5mm) 16 inch circular needle