Stay Out of the Forest is a DK colorwork hat inspired by true crime podcast, My Favorite Murder. It’s the perfect hat for my fellow Murderinos! It is written for 2 sizes, and uses 3 skeins/colors of yarn. The colorwork charts make it easy to fly through this project.

I recommend mostly tonal or solid yarn with a lot of contrast from the other colors. You especially want contrast between the MC and CC1.

Yarn

Goosey Fibers, Goosey Squish DK weight yarn 75% Wool, 25% Nylon, 100 g / 246 yards (225 meters).

Yarn Used: 126-180 yards or 116-165 meters of DK weight yarn in 3 colors

MC- 105-130 yards / 96-119 meters
CC1- 6-15 yards / 5.5-14 meters
CC2- 15-35 yards / 14-32 meters

If you really want to delve into the My Favorite Murder theme, check out the beautiful yarns I used from Goosey Fibers.

Blue Hat

MC: Call Your Dad! (Navy Blue)
CC1: Powers of Anxiety (Gold)
CC2: You’re in a Cult (Lighter Blue)

Tan Hat

MC: Stay out of the Forest (Tan with Pink overtones)
CC1: Pepper Spray First (Red)
CC2: Powers of Anxiety (Dark Brown)

Needles

US 4 (3.5 mm) & US 6 (4.0 mm) or size needed to obtain gauge; circular and/or double-pointed needles

Gauge

24 stitches & 28 rounds in 4 in / 10 cm in stockinette in the round

Notions

Notions: 9 (10) stitch markers + 1 unique stitch marker to mark the beginning of the round.

Sizing

Small: 16 in / 40.6 cm circumference
Large: 17.25 in / 43.8 cm circumference
Both sizes: 8.5 in / 21.5 cm tall (customizable)

Fits Head: Small: 18-21 in / 45.75-53.25 cm circumference Large: 19.25-22.25 in / 49-56.5 cm circumference

Pattern Info

This pattern has been tech edited & test knit.
All instructions are written and charted.
Each round includes a handy checkbox in case you want/like to check things off as you go!

About the Name

Stay out of the Forest is a quote, nay, a warning, coined on the highly popular comedy/ true crime audio podcast My Favorite Murder, hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. In each episode, each host selects a murder, crime or survivor story to recount and discuss. Tangents and other hilarities ensue when they try to break the tension generated in telling gruesome and scary stories. They end each episode with the saying “stay sexy and don’t get murdered,” which fans often use on social media as #SSDGM.

A podcast community has sprung up in the already thriving true-crime enthusiast community; they call themselves Murderinos. Many make merchandise to celebrate the fun and awareness the podcast brings. They host meetups and visit Karen and Georgia when they travel the world doing live episodes.

I hope this pattern is a fun tribute to a podcast that I believe does a lot of good in their discussion about personal safety and mental health; and that my fellow Murderinos will knit this as a reminder to Stay out of the Forest– unless you have a warm hat and a good get-out-of-danger plan at the ready! Have fun with this addictively quick colorwork knit. Then let your Murderino Fan Flag fly next time you hang out with your friends or maybe even head to see Georgia & Karen in a live show!

Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered! Good-bye!!!!