Mom's double knit hat

Julie wanted to see the process for double knit hats, so I took some pics as I did Mom's. I pry should take them as I do Julie's too, her colors have greater contrast and might show up better. :)

First you crochet a long chain, then cast on the stitches using the chain as a base. This is so you can pick them out later and use them as "live" stitches for the inside layer. You do 3 rows of the inside color, then 3 rows outside, then undo the chain to get the starting stitches, fold it inside of the other live stitches, and stitch a row that puts both layers on one needle. (this is the point where I ended up twisted on Julie's hat- took an hour and a half to get to that point, had to rip it all out, so I am taking a break and blogging instead of knitting!)

Edited to add: I did finally (after 3 tries) get Julie's hat started so the first pictures are of her hat.

This is picking up the gray stitches from the red crochet chain.

Finished picking up stitches.

After finishing 3 rows of gray (inside) and 3 rows of white (outside), ready to take the red crochet off and free the other end of the gray stitches so I can fold it up to join the white on the needles.

Close up of rows.

Undoing the red crochet and collecting the gray stitches.

All stitches off of crochet chain, still on separate needles:

close up of working with FOUR needles at a time to join on one set of needles.
The arrow shows where the two layers are on one needle. The dark is the outside layer, the light is the inside layer.
Now half the stitches are joined on one needle. I flipped the layer so you can see the inside is all solid light blue.

When the stitches are all on one needle, you knit the front layer stitch, then purl the back layer stitch. You hold both colors of yarn together, and follow a chart to work the pattern.

Close up view:
After one repeat. The dark blue majority is the outside layer, the light is the inside, I flipped it so you could see.

After you get to the end of the chart, you need to divide the layers again so you can decrease them quickly and tie off the hat. So as you knit the outside layer, you slip the inside layer to a separate set of needles, tucking them inside the hat.

All the inside layer stitches, getting tucked inside so I can close the outside layer.

After the outside layer is done, flipped inside out, ready to finish the inside layer. The center is all dark blue because it is the underside of the outside layer and is finished.
Finished decreasing, ready to tie off inside layer.

Hopes this helps explain the process. Basically, you are knitting two hats, that are joined at the very bottom edge, at the same time. Makes following the chart a bit difficult.

Note: I do NOT go back and look for mistakes in the finished hats. HA!

Have a good week,

Anne