Rainbow Ponytail/Pigtails Knit Hat

This pattern is extra warm and snuggly! I used Jiffy Thick & Quick Lion Brand yarn with size 15 needles. I've found it's especially good after showers in the morning when your hair is damp. It keeps the hair underneath warm, and the part that drapes down from touching the back of your head or neck and keeping you cold. I got inspiration from these cute little hats here. However I only have really thick yarn so couldn't really follow the pattern given. Below is roughly the pattern I used, but I mostly made it up as I went!








Here's some closeups of the pony tail flaps.


The button holes (I don't have any buttons yet) are invisible when not in use, but definitely need to be there because there's not enough space in the stitches to fit a button through anywhere.


The ponytail holes were plenty big enough to fit my hair through. Plus they stretch to size anyway.


The Pattern

Need size 15 circulars and size 10 or so straight/circular

You will stitch the ponytail flaps first out of three segments of yarn. These will then be attached to the hat. Do this first so that you will have a continuous piece of yarn to use while knitting the hat.

Flaps:

On straight needles, going back and fourth switching lead needle, or using circs as straight needles.

CO 6
K 6
K1 K2tog K2tog K1
K2 Add two loops to right needle (opposite the way you would wrap to knit), K2
K6 (next 5 rows)

Now you're done a flap! Repeat three times.


Hat:

CO 56
K2, P2 for 13 rows
K2, P2, K2 then cast off 2 stitches. Continue the K2, P2 pattern around until 10 stitches from beginning of row. Cast off 2 stitches then K2, P2, K2,P2. You should be back at the beginning.
*note the holes are not symmetrical around the beginning of round. This is ok*
K2, P2 around. When you come across holes for flaps, knit into the flap which you should have left on the needles from before. There will be tails that you can weave in later.

Now where you had two stitches before, you will have six above the ear flap. To decrease those six stitches do as follows for the rows above it:
Start with the 6 knit stitches
K2tog K2 K2tog (4 stitches now)
P2tog P2tog (2 stitches now)

Continue to K2, P2 for a row

To add the center flap, cast off the two before the end of the row. Repeat the same process as for the previous flaps.

Decrease the top as it fits your head, but try to keep the order as follows:

1st decrease: P2tog where the two purl stitches were
2nd: K2 tog where two knit stitches were
3rd: K2tog, P2tog all around
(repeat 3rd decrease as needed)
Thread yarn through remaining loops when it's small enough.