Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal! Knit a Jayne Cobb hat on straight needles with this free knitting pattern. A geeky project for beginners and intermediate knitters.

Okay not really, but I’ve always wanted to say that to someone and what better time to say it than in a Firefly themed post! Yep, the geek is coming out and I can’t stop her…. nor do I want to.

Do you guys ever have those favorite shows that you can probably quote word for word because you’ve watched them a million times and actually have conversations about them with friends? If you haven’t had those conversations, hit me up. I’d be happy to be that person.

Anyway! What I’m trying to say is that we all have those shows. Firefly is one of them for me. As of this writing, I have watched the entire series and the movie at least 5 times and I watched it again while making a few of these hats… so you know, nerd card intact and all.

Flat Knit Jayne Cobb Hat Pattern

This Jayne Cobb Hat pattern is knit on straight needles so there are a few extra stitches on the edges for you to sew them together. I knit 90% of my hats flat because its just easier for me to figure out on the decrease. If you’re a beginner knitter who finds circular needles daunting, this is a great tutorial for you. This Jayne Cobb hat is also worked with 2 strands to give it a more bulky look and feel like in the show.

Supplies:
Size 10 knitting needles
Yarn or Tapestry Needle
Scissors
Redheart Yarn in : Carrot, Gold, and burgundy (or red)
Large pom pom maker

Stitches to know
Knit, Purl, SSK, K2tog, sl

Starting with 2 strands of Carrot – Cast on 84 stitches.
Row 1: K2, *K1, P1, Repeat from * until last 2 stitches. K2 Turn
Row 2: P2, *P1, K1, Repeat from * until last 2 stitches. P2 Turn
Row 3: Knit across
Row 4: Purl across
* Repeat rows 3 and 4 until your hat measures 2 inches ending on a purl row
Change yarn to Gold
* Repeat rows 3 and 4 until your hat measures 7-7.5 inches ending on a purl row

Decrease:
Row 1: Knit 2, k2tog across until last 2 stitches, Knit 2 (44 stitches)
Row 2: Purl across
Row 3: Knit 2, k2tog across until last 2 stitches, Knit 2 (24 stitches)
Row 4: Purl across
Row 5: Knit 2, k2tog across until last 2 stitches, Knit 2 (14 stitches)
Row 6: Purl across
Cut an 8 inch tail and thread it through the 14 loops and cinch. Mattress stitch the hat together.

Ear Flaps:
Using 2 strands of Burgundy or Red worsted weight
Count 15 stitches over from left back seam and pick up 20 knit stitches along the edge. – I pick my stitches up in the knit stitch so the next row will be a purl row. You want the messy back part to be facing inward.
Row 2: Sl 1, Purl 19
Row 3: Sl 1, Knit 19
Row 4-10: Repeat rows 1 and 2
Row 11: Sl 1, K 1, SSK, Knit to last 4 stitches, k2tog, K1
Row 12: Sl 1, Purl
Repeat Rows 11 and 12 until there are 6 stitches left, ending on a purl row

To finish earflaps:
Row 1: Sl 1, K1, SSK, Knit 2
Row 2: Sl 1, Purl to end
Repeat rows 1 and 2 until 3 stitches remain. K3tog and bind off. Leave a 6 inch tail

Repeat the above for the second ear flap. The easiest way I found to make sure my flaps were even is fold the hat in half and mark where the stitches of the made earflaps are. You can also count over 35 from the seam edge and work your 20 stitches back from there if you want to make sure numbers are even.

Hopefully at some point I’ll have a video for you guys to actually explain things. Let me know if that would be more helpful.

Use the yarn needle to weave in your ends.

To create the pom pom, I used all three colors with the large pom pom maker from Susan Bates – I know I said I hated pom poms, but these things are so stinking easy! Use the yarn needle to attatch it to the hat, weaving the ends through the top cinch in your hat and down the inside seem so it’s invisible.

You are now ready to join the browncoats be a cunning damn little hero! We shall sing your song through the annals of history!