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Knitting with Buttons: A New Take on the Easter Bonnet

Tina Hilton, contributor

7 users recommend

Melinda loved the pastel lightweight hat for all-day indoor and outdoor comfort on a cool, rainy day.

Tina Hilton

String your buttons in the order you want them to appear before casting on.

Tina Hilton

After casting on, line up the stitches facing inward to ensure you don't twist the stitches when you join the ends to knit.

Tina Hilton

Melinda loved the pastel lightweight hat for all-day indoor and outdoor comfort on a cool, rainy day.

Photo: Tina Hilton

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Remember going through your grandmother's buttons? I spent hours sorting through huge tins of buttons and remember Nana telling a story about each one. To this day, I am fascinated by buttons both vintage and new. Over the years I have collected pounds of vintage buttons and find myself buying new buttons for that yet to be determined project. Hello, my name is Tina and I am a buttonaholic!

Whether you are an experienced bead knitter or have not yet tried it, you will find that knitting with buttons is an easy way to add dimension to your knitting projects. Make one for yourself and/or a mini version for a special child in your life!

Supplies

• Knitting needles: size 6 16-inch circular and size 6 double-pointed needles
• Yarn: DK/light worsted weight—about 200 yards for a kid's hat and 300 yards for an adult's (I used a beautiful hand-dyed yarn from Fiesta,  “Ballet” 50% superfine alpaca, 50% Tencel)
• Needles: Sewing needle for stringing the buttons onto the yarn and tapestry needle to weave in ends
• Buttons: 10 (12) small plastic buttons with a shank will work best; the shank will help keep the button facing right side out and a plastic button is lightweight and washable

Abbreviations
Dec: decrease
K: knit 
K2tog: knit 2 together 
Sts: stitches
Yo: yarn over

Gauge
5 stitches to the inch

Step by Step
Instructions are for children’s and (adult's) sizes.

String your buttons in the order you want them to appear before casting on.

String Buttons
Thread a sewing needle with the end of the yarn and string 10 (12) buttons. I alternated yellow and pink buttons. If you would like more buttons and want them evenly spaced, take the number of stitches cast on and divide the number of buttons you’d like to use. For example: 90 ÷ 15 = 6. Add your button every 6 stitches.

After casting on, line up the stitches facing inward to ensure you don't twist the stitches when you join the ends to knit.

Cast On
Cast on 90 (108) sts loosely.

If you want a larger rolled edge, knit for a few more rounds.

Rolled Edge
Place a marker and knit in the round for 2 inches (2-1/2) inches. As you knit, you will continue to slide the buttons down toward the ball of yarn to free up your yarn for knitting.

The eyelet pattern creates a lacy pattern.

Crown
Eyelet pattern row: *K2tog, yo* repeat to marker.
Continue knitting in the round for 1 inch (1-1/2 inches)

Choose a button that is on the small size. A quarter-sized button will not fit through the stitch!

Add buttons: *k 9, add button*. Add the button by sliding it up close to the needles. Perform a normal knit stitch, but when you are pulling the yarn through the loop, bring the button with it. If you are a tight knitter, relax a bit so the button will slip through with ease and pertly face the right side of the hat!

The button will pop through the stitch!

Your button should appear on the right side of the knitting.

On the next round when you are at the stitch with the button attached, knit into the stitch above the button and it will lock it in place.

The button should now remain in the forward position.

Continue knitting in the round for 1 inch (1-1/2 inches)
Eyelet pattern row: *K2tog, yo* repeat to marker.
Continue knitting in the round until the hat measures 6 (7) inches from the cast-on edge or until the desired length is achieved.
Decrease: K 7 (7), k2tog. 80 (96) stitches remain.

Top Shaping
Decrease round 1: *K2, k2tog*  repeat to marker. There will remain 60 (72) sts.
Work one round with no decrease.
Decrease round 2: *K1, k2tog* repeat to marker. There will remain 40 (48) sts.
Work one round with no decrease.

Switch to double-pointed needles when it becomes difficult to knit in the round. Divide the remaining stitches among three needles and knit with the fourth needle.

Make your I-cord nib on one double-pointed needle.

Finishing
Place the remaining 5 stitches onto one double-pointed needle and make a 1-inch I-cord. Bind off the stitches and cut the yarn, leaving a 4-inch tail. Thread the tail onto a tapestry needle, and poke it through the tip of the I-cord into the hat. Weave in the tail and the remaining ends.

If you want a dramatic topper, make your I-cord longer and tie it in a knot.

If a dozen buttons is not enough to represent your button fetish, add as many as you want! Please post pics of your button hat creations!

Thanks to Melinda Mayronne at Unwound, Blowing Rock, NC, for supplying the yarn and the buttons for this fun project!

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Comments (4)

Tina_Hilton writes: Thank you for all your positive feedback. There is nothing better that to knit something fun for people you care about. I am planning on making a kids version with even more buttons!
Posted: 10:08 am on March 7th

SMVG writes: Tina,
What a cute idea. I am knitting one for my granddaughter! She is only 6 months old and lives in a cold climate. So sporting a knit Easter bonnet will will not only be adorable but functional.
Thanks for another super idea.
Posted: 9:28 am on March 7th

PoochPal writes: I can so relate to being a buttonahloic. What a fun project to use up some of the button stash. Your instructions are very comprehensive and photography great.
Kudos to your model Melinda. Thanks Tina~
Posted: 8:57 am on March 7th

K1Drink2 writes: Cute Hat ... Lovely model ... FABULOUS directions and photos. This is he first time I've been on this site ... I'm impressed, Tina!
Posted: 10:13 am on March 6th

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