Hi Everyone. I am new to the site and to knitting for that matter, and was wanting to attempt a stocking cap. The one I am wanting is slowly tapered off so there is a long tail. Sometimes you see skiiers wearing them. I found a picture of the ones I want, but can't seem to find a pattern that I like. Can someone help me out or point me in the right direction. I have looked at all the patterns I can bring up on Google, but can't find anything that really catches my eye like these did. I just wish I could get the pattern to the ones in the link. Thanks for all your help in advance! - Charyne Ski Hats I want

I would start with a pattern for a standard watch cap where the body of the cap is in stockinette stitch. Then, instead of doing the rapid decreases to create the crown of the watch cap, separate the decrease rounds with may 10 or more rows of plain knitting.

This would be a great opportunity to practice color changes to make the stripes, or you could get some self-striping yarn and see how the stripes get wider and wider as you work on fewer and fewer stitches.

You can knit this type of hat in any weight yarn -- in your pictures it looked like maybe fingering weight???? If so, there are lots of fun self-striping fingering weight sock yarns you could use. If you don't want to deal with the number of stitches you would need for fingering weight yarn, consider using DK or worsted weight yarn. If you want to use self-striping DK-weight sock yarn, look for yarns described as 6-ply. There are some self-striping worsted weight yarns, or some yarns with long color changes such as Noro, Plymouth Boku, etc.

Also you need to go to www.raverly.com and join. Raverly is is knitting site basically a facebook for us knitters. You will have access to millions of of ideas and there are some free downloadable patterns. Have a look!

I would go along with KT.

Excuse me for correcting you, but the link should be:

www.ravelry.com

I'm making a striped stocking cap for a baby, but no reason it couldn't work for anyone. It starts at the pointy end. I have alternate stripes fuzzy and smooth.

You knit a 5 stitch I cord for 4-5 inches and tie it in a knot.
Then knit twice in each stitch & knit 4 rounds (10 st).
Change colors and work the round: knit 1, knit twice in next st (15 st), then 4 plain rounds.
Change colors and work the round: knit 2, knit twice in next stitch (20 st), then 4 plain rounds.

Keep this up, increasing 5 stitches every 5th round, until wide enough for the head which will be wearing it. Then knit straight for 3-4 inches of crown and add ribbing or a rolled edge.

If you want a more gradual slant, just do 8 or 12 rounds between increases. I think that would give you the kind I wore in high school which doubled as a scarf.

thanks peggy! must be the old typing to fast and do not check it over thing----thanks!