purlJam

<pattern>

# Sweet Treat Ice Cream Cone Hat

**A delightful dessert-inspired hat featuring a waffle cone brim, strawberry frosting body, chocolate drips, and whipped cream crown with cherry on top!**

## SKILL LEVEL
Adventurous Beginner to Intermediate

## SIZES
- **Toddler**: 18" (46 cm) circumference, fits ages 1-3
- **Child**: 20" (51 cm) circumference, fits ages 4-10  
- **Adult**: 22" (56 cm) circumference

## FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
- **Circumference**: 18 (20, 22)" / 46 (51, 56) cm
- **Height**: 7.5 (8.5, 9.5)" / 19 (22, 24) cm (not including cherry)

## MATERIALS

### Yarn
Worsted weight yarn (#4 Medium):
- **MC (Waffle Cone - Tan)**: 50 (60, 70) yards
- **CC1 (Frosting - Pink)**: 60 (70, 80) yards
- **CC2 (Chocolate - Brown)**: 30 (35, 40) yards
- **CC3 (Whipped Cream - White)**: 20 (25, 30) yards
- **CC4 (Sprinkles - Red)**: 10 yards (all sizes)
- **CC5 (Cherry - Red)**: 5 yards (all sizes) OR small red pom-pom

**Suggested Yarn**: Any worsted weight acrylic or wool blend such as Cascade 220, Lion Brand Wool-Ease, or Red Heart Super Saver

### Needles
- US 7 (4.5 mm) 16" circular needle
- US 7 (4.5 mm) double-pointed needles (set of 4 or 5) for crown
- Or size needed to obtain gauge

### Notions
- Stitch marker
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Optional: pom-pom maker (1.5" size) for cherry

## GAUGE
**18 stitches × 24 rounds = 4" (10 cm)** in stockinette stitch in the round, blocked

**Take time to check your gauge.** Colorwork sections may have slightly different gauge; blocking will even this out.

## ABBREVIATIONS
- **k**: knit
- **p**: purl
- **k2tog**: knit 2 stitches together (right-leaning decrease)
- **ssk**: slip, slip, knit (left-leaning decrease)
- **pm**: place marker
- **sm**: slip marker
- **RS**: right side
- **WS**: wrong side
- **MC**: Main Color (Tan)
- **CC1**: Contrast Color 1 (Pink)
- **CC2**: Contrast Color 2 (Brown)
- **CC3**: Contrast Color 3 (White)
- **CC4**: Contrast Color 4 (Red - sprinkles)
- **CC5**: Contrast Color 5 (Red - cherry)
- **st(s)**: stitch(es)
- **rep**: repeat
- **circ**: circular

## SPECIAL TECHNIQUES

### Stranded Colorwork
Carry the unused color loosely across the back of the work (inside of hat). Keep floats loose enough to maintain fabric elasticity. Catch long floats (over 5-7 stitches) by twisting yarns every 3-4 stitches.

### Reading Colorwork Charts
Charts are read from right to left on RS (odd-numbered) rounds. Each square represents one stitch. Follow the color key for each chart.

### Duplicate Stitch
After hat is complete, thread tapestry needle with CC4 (red). Following the path of a knit stitch, bring needle up through bottom of stitch, pass under both legs of stitch above, then back down through bottom of original stitch. This creates an embroidered "stitch" on top of the knitted fabric.

---

## PATTERN INSTRUCTIONS

### WAFFLE CONE BRIM

Using MC (Tan) and circular needle, cast on **80 (88, 100)** sts.

*Stitch count check: 80 sts ÷ 18 sts per 4" × 4 = 17.78" ✓*
*88 sts = 19.56" ✓*
*100 sts = 22.22" ✓*

**Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist.** Place marker for beginning of round.

**Rib Pattern:**
Rnds 1-12 (14, 16): *K2, p2; repeat from * to end of round.

This creates a stretchy, textured brim resembling a waffle cone pattern.

*After Rnd 12 (14, 16), you should have 80 (88, 100) sts.*

---

### STRAWBERRY FROSTING BODY

**Setup Round:** Change to CC1 (Pink). Knit all stitches.

**Body:**
Knit every round in stockinette stitch for **2 (2.25, 2.5)"** / 5 (5.7, 6.4) cm, or approximately **12 (14, 15)** rounds.

*Measurement check: 12 rounds ÷ 24 rounds per 4" × 4 = 2" ✓*

*After Body section, you should still have 80 (88, 100) sts.*

---

### CHOCOLATE DRIP COLORWORK SECTION

This section creates the look of chocolate sauce dripping down the frosting.

**Begin working from Chart A: Chocolate Drips**

**Round 1:** Join CC2 (Brown), carrying CC1 behind. Work Chart A across all stitches.

Work Rounds 1-8 of Chart A once.

**Chart Notes:**
- Chart shows a 20-stitch repeat
- Work repeat **4 (4.4, 5)** times around: For sizes with partial repeats, work full pattern repeats and adjust final repeat as needed, or work pattern as follows:
  - **Toddler**: Work 20-st repeat 4 times = 80 sts ✓
  - **Child**: Work 20-st repeat 4 times (80 sts), then work first 8 sts of repeat once more = 88 sts ✓
  - **Adult**: Work 20-st repeat 5 times = 100 sts ✓

---

### CHART A: CHOCOLATE DRIPS
**20-stitch repeat × 8 rounds**

```
Round 8: □□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□
Round 7: □□■■□□□□□□□□□□■■□□□□
Round 6: □■■■■□□□□■□□□■■■■□□□
Round 5: □■■■■□□□■■■□□■■■■□□□
Round 4: ■■■■■■□□■■■□■■■■■■□□
Round 3: ■■■■■■□■■■■■■■■■■■□□
Round 2: ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■□
Round 1: ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■
         [---20 stitch repeat---]
```

**COLOR KEY:**
- **□** = CC1 (Pink)
- **■** = CC2 (Brown)

**How to Read Chart:**
- Read all rounds from right to left
- Each square = 1 stitch
- Repeat the 20-st pattern around the entire hat as specified for your size
- Rounds are numbered from bottom to top

**Colorwork Tips:**
- Keep floats loose on the back to maintain stretch
- The longest CC2 (Brown) float is 4 stitches - no catching needed
- The longest CC1 (Pink) float is 8 stitches - twist yarns once in the middle of these spans

---

After completing Chart A (8 rounds), cut CC2, leaving a 6" tail to weave in later.

*After Chocolate Drip section, you should still have 80 (88, 100) sts.*

---

### WHIPPED CREAM CROWN

**Setup Round:** Change to CC3 (White). Knit 1 round even.

**Begin Crown Decreases:**

The crown is shaped with decreases that create a spiral swirl effect, like soft-serve ice cream.

**Decrease Round Setup:** 
- **Toddler**: K8, pm, *k10, pm; repeat from * 6 more times, k2. (8 sections marked)
- **Child**: K8, pm, *k11, pm; repeat from * 6 more times, k3. (8 sections marked)
- **Adult**: *K12, pm; repeat from * 7 more times, k4. (8 sections marked)

**Decrease Rounds:**

**Rnd 1:** *Knit to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm; repeat from * to end of round. 
*[72 (80, 92) sts remain]*

**Rnd 2 and all even-numbered rounds:** Knit all sts.

**Rnd 3:** *Knit to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm; repeat from * to end of round.
*[64 (72, 84) sts remain]*

**Rnd 5:** *Knit to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm; repeat from * to end of round.
*[56 (64, 76) sts remain]*

**Continue in this manner** (decreasing every other round) until **16 sts remain** for all sizes.

*Decrease sequence verification:*
- *Toddler: 80→72→64→56→48→40→32→24→16 sts (8 decrease rounds) ✓*
- *Child: 88→80→72→64→56→48→40→32→24→16 sts (9 decrease rounds) ✓*
- *Adult: 100→92→84→76→68→60→52→44→36→28→20 sts... adjust final decreases*

**For Adult size final decreases:**
When 20 sts remain:
**Next Rnd:** *K2tog; repeat from * to end. *[10 sts remain]*
**Next Rnd:** *K2tog; repeat from * to end. *[5 sts remain]*

**For all sizes:**
When 16 sts remain (Toddler, Child) or 5 sts remain (Adult):

**Final Round:** *K2tog; repeat from * to end. 
*[8 sts remain for Toddler/Child, 2-3 sts remain for Adult]*

Cut CC3, leaving a 10" tail. Thread tail through remaining stitches, pull tight to close top of hat, and secure on inside.

---

### SPRINKLES

Using CC4 (Red) and tapestry needle, add small sprinkles randomly across the CC1 (Pink) frosting section using duplicate stitch.

**Sprinkle Placement Suggestions:**
- Create individual "sprinkles" by duplicate stitching 1-3 stitches in a short diagonal or vertical line
- Space 8-12 sprinkles randomly around the pink section
- Vary the angle and length for a natural scattered look

**Duplicate Stitch Method:**
1. Thread tapestry needle with CC4
2. From WS, bring needle up through base of a knit stitch
3. Pass needle under both legs of the stitch above (right to left)
4. Insert needle back down through the base of the original stitch
5. This creates a "V" shape over the existing stitch

---

### CHERRY ON TOP

**Option 1: I-Cord Cherry Bobble**

Using CC5 (Red) and double-pointed needles, create a small bobble:

1. Cast on 4 sts
2. Work I-cord for 8 rounds: *K4, slide sts to other end of needle; repeat from *
3. Next row: K1, k2tog, k1. *[3 sts]*
4. Next row: K3tog. *[1 st]*
5. Cut yarn, pull through last stitch
6. Using cast-on tail, gather the bottom edge and pull tight
7. Stuff lightly with yarn scraps if desired
8. Sew securely to top center of hat

**Option 2: Pom-Pom Cherry**

Make a 1.5" pom-pom using CC5 (Red) following pom-pom maker instructions or traditional cardboard circle method. Trim into a round ball shape and attach securely to top center of hat.

---

## FINISHING

1. **Weave in all ends** securely on the wrong side, especially color change points
2. **Block gently**: Wet block or steam block to even out colorwork and set stitches. Place over a balloon or bowl of appropriate size to shape while drying
3. **Attach cherry** securely to top of crown
4. **Optional lining**: For extra warmth, cut fleece fabric to match hat dimensions, sew into a tube and cone shape, and hand-stitch inside the hat along the brim edge

## OPTIONAL LINING INSTRUCTIONS

**Materials needed:**
- 1/4 yard fleece fabric in coordinating color
- Sewing needle and thread
- Pins

**Instructions:**
1. Measure hat circumference and height