Here's One I Made Earlier!

We had a fantastic weekend - a friend's 50th birthday party on Friday, niece Francesca's wedding Saturday [so all the family were together] then overnight with Liz, Jon and Rosie, and up to Cornerstones after breakfast.
The boiler was not working - but fortunately we had hot water bottles, a couple of spare heaters and an electric shower. But Mr Jacobs, the wonderful boiler repairman said he could come out Monday afternoon and fix it.  We went off to buy groceries at Sainsburys and bumped into Christine [which was good, as we didn't think we'd have time to meet up] Then back to wait for Liz, Jon and Rosie. 
Just before Adrian, Marion, Lucy and Josh arrived for a meal with us, Liz realised she had not packed a hat for Rosie. "Have you any wool here, can you make one tonight?" What a challenge. 
I had some 4ply and also 2 small balls of random dye DK yarn - but for speed, I knitted with a strand of each on 5.5mm needles. I made up the pattern as I went along. And it fitted!

Almost Instant Baby Hat

Cast on 56 sts, using 5.5mm needles and one strand each 4ply and DK
Knit 6 rows in k2,p2 rib.
Change to st. st. and knit till work measures 6" ending with purl row
Next row - [K2, k2tog]  repeat to end [42sts]
next row- purl
next row - [K1, k2tog] repeat to end [28sts]
next row - purl
next row - [k2tog] repeat to end [14 sts]
next row - purl 
next row - [k2tog] repeat - [7sts]
next row - [p2tog] 3 times, p1 [4 sts]
continue in stocking stitch - knitting 18 rows on these 4 stitches.
next row - k2 tog twice - 2 sts
next row - k2tog - 1 stitch left
Leaving enough yarn for sewing up [approx 15"] cut yarn and thread through last stitch.
Seam down the tail and the back seam. Finish off yarn. Tie the little tail into a knot
Job done! Hat can be worn with ribbing turned up or down.
Took me under 2 hours.

Rosie is really starting to smile now - especially when her Mum is chatting to her. Liz was five weeks old when we first took her to Norfolk. Lovely to see history repeating itself.