Hubby`s Decoder Hat

page 1 • updated 2/8/10
Hubby's Decoder Hat
© 2009 Zabet Stewart • Some rights reserved
Look, I'm pretty sure I'm not the first geek
knitter to have this idea, but I didn't Google to
confirm this, so don't bombard me with links to
other folks who have done it. Good for them,
good for me, we should all get medals. And
don't tell me I'm infringing on their copyright;
you can't copyright an idea (i.e., "binary hat"),
only the tangible product of that, such as the
hat itself, photos, and written instructions, and
here I've taken my own photos and wrote my
own instructions. Get over it or go find
another pattern.
The ribbing in the hat contains a secret
message in binary. If you’re not geek enough
to figure out your own binary messages, I’ve
included a link to an online ascii-to-binary
translator in the Design Notes. (Don’t know
what ascii is? It’s what you’re reading right
now and type with every day. It’s ok. Your
Geek will love you anyway.)
The pattern will vary depending on your
message, so it’s a great first pattern for a
creative beginner who has knit and purl down
cold and wants to try using DPNs and
decreases.
Update: When my Hubby went to decode the
hat, he was completely thrown by the fact that
he'd need to "read" it from right-to-left. As a
knitter, I've grown so accustomed to reading
charts and my knitting this way that it didn't
even occur to me that I should correct for
reading left-to-right, as we are both native
English speakers and this is what is considered
"normal" for our language. Therefore, I have
completely revamped the pattern for reading it
left-to-right.
Materials:
• Worsted weight yarn
• US7/4.5mm set of 4 DPNS (or a sufficiently
long circular to work a Magic Loop)
• Any message that is 12 characters long
(including spaces) translated into binary
Sizing:
This is a ribbed 96-st hat, so it will fit 21-23”
heads pretty well. My Hubby has a 22” head,
fyi. To make the hat smaller or larger, add or
subtract stitches in multiples of eight. For
every eight you add or subtract, you'll need to
add or subtract a character from your
message.
See how that Noro Cash Iroha shines!
Design Notes:
Need help translating into binary? Go here:
http://www.theskull.com/javascript/asciibinary.html
One ascii character will need eight stitches to
express it in binary. Since 8x12=96, that
means your message can be 12 characters
long. Remember, if you are adjusting the size,
you must adjust the length of your message.
You'll notice that I didn't use any capital letters
or spaces, which isn't a requirement, I just
didn't think about it. And yes, there is
different binary code for upper and lowercase,
as well as spaces.
If you don't use "ilovepatrick" because you
aren't lucky enough to love a Patrick, first
translate your binary ones and zeros into knits.
One = knit, and zero = purl.
To make your message read left-to-right, you'll
want to completely reverse the order of the
knits and purls you get from the binary. Here
is an example changing ca t into tac :
order you get from translator
c: p k2 p3 k2
a: p k2 p4 k
t: p k3 p k p2
order in which you should knit
t: p2 k p k3 p
a: k p4 k2 p
c: k2 p3 k2 p
Once you've got your binary translated and
reversed (if you want it to read left-to-right; I
realize not all languages read this way), use it
in place of the first round in the directions.
page 2 • updated 2/8/10
Variations:
You could also use a 6-character word or
phrase (ex: the name "Phoebe") and work it
twice, a 4-character word (ex: "Nate" or
"love") and work it three times, or a 3character word (ex: "hat" or "pwn" or "pie")
and work it four times.
Directions:
CO 96 and join, being careful not to twist.
Knit the first round as follows (or as your
design dictates):
k: p2 k p k p2 k
c: p2 k3 p2 k
i: p k2 p k p2 k
r: k p k2 p3 k
t: k2 p k p3 k
a: p k4 p2 k
p: k4 p3 k
Work the next TWO rounds as decrease
rounds, following the types of decreases
outlined above. (6 sts remaining)
Break yarn, leaving a long tail. Thread the tail
on a tapestry needle, run it through the 6 live
stitches, and pull tight.
Weave in ends. Block lightly. Wear cap with a
knowing smile; or, smile knowingly as the
cap's recipient wears it.
Final Note:
If you expect anyone to decipher the hat, you
might want to mark the start of round in some
way. A safety pin works if you want them to
remove it, or you can add a small bead to your
cast-on tail before sewing it in. Or you could
do neither and make it a real bitch of a puzzle!
Copyright Inform ation:
This work is licensed under the Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share
Alike 3.0 United States License.
e: p k p k2 p2 k
v: k p2 k p3 k
o: p4 k p2 k
l: k2 p2 k p2 k
i: p k2 p k p2 k
Once the pattern is est., knit the knits and purl
the purls until your work measures nearly 8
inches from the cast on edge.
Work one more round, placing markers every
8sts.
*Work the next round as a decrease round.
When you are two sts before the marker,
decrease as follows:
if
if
if
if
2
2
1
1
knit
purl
knit
purl
stitches = k2tog
stitches = p2tog
on the left and 1 purl on the right = k2tog
on the left and 1 knit on the right = p2tog
Work the next round as est., knitting the knits
and purling the purls.*
Repeat from * to * until 8 sts remain on each
needle (24 sts remaining), ending with working
a round as est.
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"Don't arse it up for the rest of us."
—Stephanie Pearl-McPhee