Kentucky Agate

Written By: Amanda Melton

11/09/11 – 11/17/11

This pattern idea (and a few others) came to me as I was reading children’s books to my daughter one day.  I had seen a beautiful two-toned, ruffled, layered cowl and already wanted to recreate it.  Since I like to have matching hats and scarves, I started thinking of how to ruffle a hat and what colors I might make it.  Agate is the state rock of Kentucky, and painted by a local artist on the side of a building for our county’s bicentennial celebration is a large Agate geode.  These geodes are unassuming on the outside, appearing like an average spherical rock.  On the inside, however, there are dazzling colors of banded minerals in various color combinations.  The combination I have chosen for this particular hat is yellow and red.  If you need inspiration for your own hat, you can search for images of Kentucky Agate, Agate Geode, or visit the following website: http://www.uky.edu/KGS/rocksmn/kentuckyagate.htm

My Inspiration

Yarn Red Heart Super Saver -          Café (body of hat) -          Claret (ruffle) -          Gold (trim)

Hooks -          I/9 – 5.50mm (body of hat) -          K/10 ½ - 6.50mm (ruffle/trim)

Stitches

-          Chain (ch)

-          Slip stitch (ss)

-          Single crochet (sc)

-          Double crochet (dc)

-          Treble crochet (tc)

-          Front Post (fp)

-          Front Post Treble/Double/Half Double Crochet (fptc, fpdc, fphdc)

Instructions

*All rows after the beginning chain and Row 1 of the Body of Hat will be worked in BACK LOOP ONLY.  This will create a circular rib around the hat on each row.  This is where you will eventually create the ruffles!  Row 14 is through both top loops.

Body of Hat Café I/9 – 5.50mm
Begin	Ch 4, join with ss to first ch to form ring
Row 1 12dc	Ch 3, 11dc in ring
Row 2 24dc	Ch 3, dc in same, 2dc in each stitch around, ss to top of ch 3
Row 3 36dc	Ch 3, 2dc in next dc; *1dc in next, 2dc in next;  repeat from * around, ss to top of ch 3
Row 4 48dc	Ch 3, 1dc in next dc, 2dc in next dc; *1dc in next 2, 2dc in next dc; repeat from * around, ss to top of ch 3
Row 5 60dc	Ch 3, 1dc in next 2, 2dc in next dc; *1dc in next 3, 2dc in next dc; repeat from * around, ss to top of ch 3
Row 6 72dc	Ch 3, 1dc in next 3, 2dc in next dc; *1dc in next 4, 2dc in next dc; repeat from * around, ss to top of ch 3
Row 7 72dc	Ch 2, dc in same and each stitch around, ss to top of first dc *This will close the slight gap you get from doing ch 3, dc in first st; however, it also causes the back “seam” to migrate toward the right ½ stitch per row
Row 8-12 72dc	Repeat Row 7
Row 13 72sc	Ch 1, sc in back loop of same and back loop of each dc around
Row 14 72sc	Ch 1, sc in both top loops same and each sc around
Ruffles Claret K/10 ½ –  6.5mm
Begin	From inside hat: Insert I hook in top of 1st dc of Row 1, pull loop of Claret yarn through, ss, push loop through to front of hat *All Claret yarn should be on outside of hat
Ruffles	Insert K hook in loop of Claret *Ruffles will only be worked on odd rows.
Row 1	Ch 3, 6tc in next 2 loops, 6dc in next loop, 6hdc in next loop, 6dc in next loop You should now have 2 loops between your last 6dc and your first 6tc.  We are going to transition to Row 3 now in a spiral. YO twice, insert hook behind next to last dc in Row 2, YO and complete first tc.  Keep tc as close to bottom of dc as possible.  Repeat 5x for 6fptc Repeat 6fptc around last dc in Row 3
Row 3	6dc in first loop, 6hdc in next, 6dc in next; *6tc in next 2, 6dc in next, 6hdc in next, 6dc in next; repeat from * until there are 2 loops between the last dc and first dc of Row 3.  Transition to Row 5 in a spiral. YO twice, insert hook behind next to last dc in Row 4, YO and complete first tc.  Keep tc as close to bottom of dc as possible.  Repeat 5x for 6fptc. Repeat 6fptc around last dc in Row 5
Row 5	6dc in first loop, 6hdc in next, 6dc in next; *6tc in next 2, 6dc in next, 6hdc in next, 6dc in next; repeat from * until there are 2 loops between the last dc and first dc of Row 5.  Transition to Row 7 in a spiral. YO, insert hook behind next to last dc in Row 6, YO and complete first dc.  Keep dc as close to bottom of Row 6 dc as possible.  Repeat 5x for 6fpdc. YO twice, insert hook behind last dc in Row 7, YO and complete first tc.  Keep tc as close to bottom of dc as possible.  Repeat 5x for 6fptc.
Row 7	6tc in first loop, 6dc in next, 6hdc in next, 6dc in next; *6tc in next 2, 6dc in next, 6hdc in next, 6dc in next; repeat from * until there are 2 loops between the last dc and first dc of Row 7.  Transition to Row 9 in a spiral. YO twice, insert hook behind next to last dc in Row 8, YO and complete first tc. Keep tc as close to bottom of dc as possible. Repeat 5x for 6fptc. YO, insert hook behind last dc in Row 9, YO and complete first dc.  Keep dc as close to bottom of Row 9 dc as possible.  Repeat 5x for 6fpdc.
Row 9	6hdc on first loop, 6dc in next;  *6tc in next, 6tc in next, 6dc in next, 6hdc in next, 6dc in next; repeat from * until there are 2 loops between the last dc and the first dc of Row 9.  Transition to Row 11 in a spiral. YO, insert hook behind next to last dc in Row 10, YO and complete first hdc.  Keep hdc as close to bottom of dc as possible.  Repeat 5x for 6fphdc. YO, insert hook behind last dc in Row 11, YO and complete first dc.  Keep dc as close to bottom of Row 11 as possible.  Repeat 5x for 6fpdc.
Row 11	6tc in first loop, 6dc in next, 6hdc in next, 6dc in next; *6tc in next 2, 6dc in next, 6hdc in next, 6dc in next; repeat from * until there are 3 loops between the last dc and first dc of Row 11.  6tc in next, 6dc in next, 6hdc in next, ss to beginning dc of Row 11.
Trim Gold K/10 ½ –  6.5mm
	Ss Gold to top of last hdc in Row 11, ch 1, sc in same and each following stitch around to the fp stitches of Row 11.  Sc in each front post stitch of Row 11 & Row 9, sc in last tc of Row 7, sc in each stitch of Row 7 (working in same direction as Row 11) around to fp stitches.  Sc in each fp stitch of Row 7 & Row 5, turn hat, sc in first dc of Row 3, sc in each stitch of Row 3 (working in opposite direction as Row 11 & 7) around to fp stitches.  Sc in each fp stitch of Row 3 & Row 1.  Ss to Row 1 of base hat.
NOTE	It takes between 35 minutes and 1 hour to complete one round of ruffles on the larger rows (7, 9, 11).  Do not expect to make this hat in one sitting (you may develop a twitchy eye as a result; I speak from experience!), it is a little overwhelming doing so many ruffles. If you do not want to take the time to do the ruffles, you may simply complete the pattern of 12tc, 6dc, 6hdc, 6dc (or 6tc, 3dc, 3hdc, 3dc; or 2tc, dc, hdc, dc) in a spiral around the hat in ODD rows only.  The Claret will still have a wave appearance due to the varying heights of the stitches, but it will take considerably less time (and yarn!) to complete than doing the wavy Ruffle. A third ruffle option would be to ruffle every 3rd row starting with Row 2 (2, 5, 8, 11).  In this case you would front post stitch spiral in the second to last stitches of Rows 3, 6, 9; next to last stitches of 4, 7, 10; last stitch of 5, 8, 11; and begin your next set of stitches in the first front loop of Rows 5, 8, & 11.