Short Story Hat

by Daphne Puerto

Self-striping yarns are mesmerizing to me — the progression from seeing the colors in the skein to watching them unfold while knitting is something like magic. This hat was inspired by the curiosity of an un-knitted skein of variegated yarn. I wanted to see what the colors “did” over a short repeat and a longer path — because sometimes striping yarns have different stories to tell! The brim is worked in garter stitch, then stitches are picked up along the edge and the slouchy hat is finished in a simple stockinette pattern. The final chapter of the yarn is in an optional pom pom — which I highly recommend! This is a quick knit that can easily be adjusted to your needs: knit a shorter version for a beanie or fold up the brim, or change the length of the garter stitch brim for custom sizes.

Materials

• Schoppel-Wolle Pur or Skacel Reggae Ombre, 1 skein or approximately 130 yards of bulky weight yarn (Color #1507 shown)
• US#9 (5.5 mm) and US#10 (6 mm) double pointed needles

Gauge

3.5 sts / 4″/ stockinette stitch with US#10

Size

22″ circumference — but the pattern is easily adaptable to different sizes.

Instructions

Brim

Cast on 15 stitches using Long Tail cast on and US#9 needles.

Work in garter stitch for 120 rows (60 garter stitch ridges)

The length of the cuff should fit around the width of your head — if you need to adjust, make changes in increments of 12 rows to pick up 6 less or more stitches in the next step.

Pick up 15 stitches from cast on edge, and join ends using 3-needle bind off. Leave the last remaining stitch on the needle and do not cut yarn.

Main

Using US #9 needles, pick up 59 stitches along the same edge of the cuff with the remaining stitch from the 3-needle bind off.

Now switch to US#10 needles: Move remaining stitch from 3-needle bind off to US#10 double pointed needle and knit the remaining stitches picked up along the edge, with 20 stitches on each of three double pointed needles.

Knit in stockinette stitch until hat measures 6″ from picked up edge.

Crown Decreases

Begin decreases for top shaping in this pattern:

[Knit 4, knit 2 together], repeat [] to end

Knit 1 round

[Knit 3, knit 2 together], repeat [] to end

Knit 1 round

[Knit 2, knit 2 together], repeat [] to end

Knit 1 round

[Knit 1, knit 2 together], repeat [] to end

Knit 1 round

[Slip stitch, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over], repeat [] to end

Kitchener remaining stitches together.

Weave in ends and use tail from cast on to cinch in the gap from the beginning of the round.

Optional: Make a large pom pom and attach to top of hat!