Materials

5 skeins of Saxony yarn the color desired.

1 bone crochet hook to correspond with yarn.

2 large wooden button molds.

2 rubber bands, or short pieces of heavy string.

Introductory Statement

When the winds of winter begin to whistle around the corners and through the tree tops, the schoolgirl, as she sallies forth, one hand holding her hat tightly, the other filled with books, usually longs for some sort of close fitting head-covering which will protect her ears from the cold. It is a great satisfaction to the average girl to be able to crochet a becoming cap for herself. The soft woolen yarns adapt themselves very nicely to this work and even though a girl may have had but little experience in crocheting, it is quite possible for her to crochet a cap.

The cap shown in this lesson, when unbuttoned, is simply a long, flat strip of crocheting. As it is almost impossible to remove the ordinary toboggan cap without disarranging the hair, this cap will prove very much more satisfactory because it can be removed by unbuttoning the ends.

References:

Woolen and Worsted Yarn Preparation, Cyclo. of Textile Work. Columbia Book of the Use of Yarns, Wm. H. Horstman Co., Philadelphia.

Suggestions For Optional Modification

Toboggan Cap

No. 1. This cap is crocheted of yarn. Beginning with a ring of stitches in the center, each succeeding row is increased until the cap is the size desired for the head, then it is crocheted straight around several inches to form the border.

Crocheted Cap

No. 2. This cap is made of wool yarn crocheted with any stitch desired, in a long strip. The strip is folded and joined on the edges with slip stitches. Crocheted buttons fasten down the corners.

Crocheted Breakfast Cap

No. 3. A band of filet crocheting forms the brim, and squares of chain stitches form the crown of this cap. It is lined with silk; the beading at the edge is interlaced with ribbon to match.

Lace Breakfast Cap

No. 4. The crown of this cap is made from all-over lace; lace edging about 2" wide forms the ruffle on the edge. The ruffle and crown are joined with lace beading interlaced with ribbon; the crown is lined with China silk.

Working Directions For Crocheted Turban

This cap is made of a strip of crocheting 15" long by 18" wide, as shown in the illustration.

Crocheting The Crown Piece

To make the crown piece, crochet 85 chain stitches loosely (Chap. II, Par. 155). This should make a chain 15" long. Increase or decrease the number of stitches if necessary. On this row of stitches you are to make a row of stitches resembling stars. To do this, turn over work, skip first ch. st. draw a loop (1) through each of the next 4 ch. sts., then draw a 1 through the 5 loops on the hook all at one time; to complete first star ch. st. one. To make second star, draw a 1 through the eye of the star just made; a 1 through back of last 1 of same star, then one 1 through each of the next 2 ch. sts. Finish the same as first star; continue making these stars to end of row.

To make the second row, which is to be the same as the first one, turn the work over; ch. st. 3, take up two ls on this ch., one 1 in eye of star below, one 1 in the back of upper 1 of same star; finish star as usual. Take up one 1 through eye of star just finished; one 1 through back of last 1 of same star, one 1 through eye of next star below, and one 1 through back of upper 1 of same star; finish star as usual. Continue to end of row.

Continue making each succeeding row like second row until the work is 8 1/2" wide. On the next, or center row of crown piece, you are to begin to divide the lower half in two pieces. To do this make star stitches half the length of crown piece (about 20 stars), then continue with ch. sts. (about 45) the remaining length of the strip; turn and work stars upon the ch.; continue to end of row. Continue the work as before until the second half of crown piece is 8 1/2" wide. Fasten the thread by breaking the yarn and pulling end of last st. made, thus tying knot. A beaded edge may be made on the two long edges as follows: Begin by making 3 ch. sts., draw a 1 through first st., and a second 1 through the next st. on the same ch. Skip 2 sts. on the edge of the st. below, draw the yarn through edge of third st., then draw a 1 through the 5 Is. on the hook, all at once. Continue to end of row; fasten thread.

Front Band

This is to be made separate and fastened to the end of crown piece. To make it, crochet a ch. of sts. l0 1/2" long; turn and make a double crochet (d c) in each ch. st. The model has 57 d cs (there should be an uneven number of sts). To make a second row, turn work over and return, making a d c in front thread of first st., then a d c in back thread of next st., continuing to end of row. Continue crocheting back and forth the same as you did in this row until the work is from one to four inches deep, depending on the width you desire the band.

To round the ends of the band, in the next row crochet d cs to within 10 sts. of end of row; fasten in edge of next d c with a slip stitch (sl st), (Chap. II, Par. 156), return and d c to within 10 stitches of end of this row, fasten last d c with sl st; be careful to keep the pattern even when working over the ends of short rows. Make one row of d cs entirely across, then a final beaded edge similar to one on edges of crown piece.

To set band on crown piece, d c closely across the end of the crown piece, skipping sts on the edge sufficiently to gather it into a 10 1/2" space (the length of the band). Join gathered end of crown piece to straight edge of band with sl sts. Turn band double and sl st open ends together.

Finishing The Ends Of Crown Piece

Lay each end in pleats to a space of 2" or less; work across the pleats with two rows of tight sl sts. Cover two elastic bands, or heavy strings tied in loops large enough to slip over the buttons with d cs and sew to the pleated ends.

To cover the button molds, ch 3, join in a ring (r), work 8 d cs in the r; continue to work round and round without joining rows. The second row is made larger by placing 2 d cs placed in every third st. Continue increasing enough to keep the work flat until it is same size as mold, then work one row plain. Make next round, skipping every other st. Slip in mold and work 3 or 4 more sts, skipping every other st to make it narrower. Sew in place at ends of band.