It’s a two-in-one post for a two-in-one Jaunty cap!

Here is thirteen year old Jamie modeling his Handmade-by-his-own-Mother Jaunty cap, in a take-no-prisoners shade of emergency orange. I think he’s got a certain Harry Callahan air about him. “Do ya feel jaunty? Well, do ya, punk?”

Faithful readers may be wondering if they’ve missed the jaunty post for this DIY. However fear not, the pattern for this sixties stocking cap hasn’t been mocked...yet!

But thanks to Jamie’s talented and generous mother, Lisa, we can all make Jaunty caps of our own.

Read on for the complete pattern (and more commentary from the peanut gallery!):

Jaunty Cap pattern from Beehive Family Headwear & Scarves, c. 1965

Though I’ve been calling this a Jaunty cap, technically it’s also a Jaunty scarf. This space age Sixties design makes it possible to simultaneously wear it on your head and wrap it around your neck.

Which is why this Beehive pattern is simply named...

Jaunty

MATERIALS: Patons Canadiana Superwash Wool or Patons Candiana Sayelle (50 g): 3 balls main colour 8. 2 balls contrasting colour A. Two 3 14 mm (No. 10) and two 4 mm (No. 8) Milward knitting needles or whichever needles you require to produce the tension given below.

TENSION: 5 1/4 sts and 6 1/2 rows – 1 inch (2.5 cm) with 4 mm (No. 8) needles in stocking st.

SIZE: To fit 21-22 inch (53-56 cm) head size.

The pattern designer wants you to believe that wrapping this long, winding hat around your neck will prevent you from getting a sore throat. However, if you’re not careful, you could end up with a permanent sore throat à la Isadora Duncan.

Beginning at cuff with B and 3 1/4 mm (No. 10) needles, cast on 108 sts.
Work 6 ins (15 cm) in (K2, P2) ribbing. Break B.

Note: Hat is worked in alternating stripes of 4 ins (10 cm) colour A and 4 ins (10 cm) colour B, joining and breaking colours as required.

Change to 4 mm (No. 8) needles and work 2 1/2 ins (6 cm) stocking st ending with purl row.

Of course, tough guys laugh in the face of danger!

1st decreasing row: (K16. K2tog) 6 times. Work 7 rows even.
2nd decreasing row: (K2tog. K15) 6 times. Work 7 rows even.
3rd decreasing row: (K14. K2tog) 6 times. Work 7 rows even. (90 sts on needle).
4th decreasing row: (K2tog. K7) 10 times. Work 7 rows even.
5th decreasing row: (K6. K2tog) 10 times. Work 9 rows even.
6th decreasing row: (K2tog. K5) 10 times. (60 sts on needle). Work 19 rows even.

Lisa also knitted another version of this cap for a friend of hers using the original stripe pattern. I really like how she substituted a tassel for the pompon with both hats.

She wrote, “How great would it look if you were to put an edging on it along the seam to make it look like a dinosaur's tail ... hmmm ... Lots of ways to make this one look unique!”

7th decreasing row: (K2tog. K10) 5 times. Work 19 rows even.
8th decreasing row: (K9. K2tog) 5 times. Work 19 rows even.
9th decreasing row: (K2tog. K8) 5 times. Work 19 rows even.
10th decreasing row: (K7. K2tog) 5 times. Work 19 rows even.
11th decreasing row: (K2tog. K6) 5 times. Work 19 rows even.
12th decreasing row: (K5. K2tog) 5 times. Work 19 rows even.
13th decreasing row: (K2tog. K4) 5 times. Work 19 rows even.
14th decreasing row: (K3. K2tog) 5 times. (20 sts on needle). Work 9 rows even.

I agree! For instance, if you happen to know a tough guy who’s also a Harry Potter fan, you can always knit a striped hat in his Hogwarts house colours.

For the record: Gryffindor is red and gold, Slytherin is green and silver, Hufflepuff is black and yellow, and Ravenclaw is blue and bronze.

Proceed:–
1st row: (K2tog. K2) 5 times. Work 9 rows even.
11th row: (K1. K2tog) 5 times. Work 9 rows even.
21st row: (K2tog) 5 times. Break yarn. Thread end through remaining sts. Draw up and fasten securely. Sew back seam. Make pompon as given on page 6. Sew to point of hat.

Yes, I know the movies depicted Ravenclaw colours as blue and silver. The movieverse is wrong, okay? Only the books are CANON!

Pompon

Wind yarn around 3 fingers approx. 75 times, depending on desired thickness of pompon. Remove fingers and tie yarn tightly in centre. Cut through each side of loops. Trim to a smooth round shape.

Ahem. When you’re done making a totally-not-geeky Harry Potter stocking cap (with or without pompon!) for yourself, you can also make one for your jaunty cat.

Trust me, that’s gratitude in his eyes.

Click here for the printable pattern.