Ever get tired of hats that need pushing back off your brow or having to tug them down over your ears? This hat is shaped with short rows to be longer at the sides and back so that it covers the ears and base of your neck, but won’t fall into your eyes. It gives the hat a slightly cloche-like shape (but not so much that you feel like you need to be in costume). With the twenties in mind, let’s say that it makes this hat the cat’s pajamas!

Size

Choose a size approx. 2”(5 cm) less than your actual head size for a snug fit.

Finished circumference

4 years-adult Small 18” (45 cm)

Adult M 20” (50 cm)

Adult L 22” (55cm)

Yarn

I used New Lanark Donegal aran tweed (90% wool 10% silk) in colorway Blue Lovage. One 100g ball is sufficient for all sizes. Testers successfully substituted a range of wool and acrylic aran weight yarns.

Yardage is for guidance only. Always allow some extra yarn. If you change the suggested yarn or use yarns of different weights you may need to allow greater yardage.

4 years-adult S: 75yds/70m

Adult M: 80yds/75m

Adult L: 95yds/85m

Needles

US 8 (5mm ) or correct needle size to achieve gauge. You can use DPNS if you prefer. Pattern assumes magic loop on circular needles, but you may substitute your preferred method for small circumference knitting when decreasing the crown.

Notions

Tapestry needle to weave in ends.

Scraps of yarn for embellishments if desired.

Waste yarn or spare cable for cast on.

Gauge

16 stitches and 24 rows over 4”/ 10cm over stockinette

Abbreviations

Please see our standard abbreviations.

Pattern Notes

Preparation and washing of a gauge swatch worked in the round is recommended.  If you are getting fewer rows than stated for your row gauge work a few extra rows of stockinette before decreasing to make up for the shorter length contributed by the crown rows.

This pattern is worked in the round from the bottom up.

Skills required

knitting in the round

decreasing

slipping stitches

short rows (you may use your preferred method, pattern assumes wrap and turn) {see our tutorial on wrap and turn short rows}

Pattern

To begin

CO 72 (80, 88) sts using a provisional cast on method of your choice. I used a method that places stitches onto a spare cable rather than using waste yarn, so that stitches are live on a needle when you want them. Watch the video:

Place a start of round marker (it is useful for this pattern to use distinctive markers for each marked point and have a note of what each signifies). Now work in the round as follows until your work measures ¾”/2cm/ (1”/ 2.5cm , 1¼”/3cm) from the cast on edge (ending on rnd 2):

Rnd 1: Repeat *k1, p1* to end

Rnd 2: Repeat *sl1wyif, p1* to end

Work short rows

During the short rows you will be working back and forth knitting stitches on right side rows and purling them on wrong side rows. You will work additional stitches past your marker with every set of two short rows. Pickup and knit or purl any wraps as you come to them.

Knit 25 (28,31) sts from the start of round marker. Place another marker. The stitches between these markers become the front of your hat. Knit 8 further sts. Place a marker (this is your first short row marker). Work to the last 8 sts of the round. Place a marker (this is your second short row marker). Work one stitch beyond your second short row marker. Wrap and turn.

Slip the last stitch back to your right-hand needle (slipped stitches for the short rows should be slipped with yarn at the back of the work), sm, purl back to your first short row marker, sm, work 1 more st, wrap and turn.

Knit back to your second short row marker, sm, work 3 sts beyond the marker (dealing with your wraps as you come to them), w&t.

Purl back to your first row marker, sm, work 3 sts beyond the marker, w&t.

On the next 2 rows work 5 sts past your short row markers, wrapping and turning at the end of each row.

On the next two rows work 8 past your short row markers (this should take you to the markers for the front portion of the hat) wrapping and turning at the end of each row.

This point (the marker for the front that was not your start of round) now becomes your start of round. Work rounds in stockinette (knitting all sts and dealing with your remaining wraps on the first round) until your work measures 4 ¾ (5, 5 ½) “/12 (13, 14.5) cm from the cast on edge to the top of the knitting at its deepest point (i.e. towards the back of the hat). You can now remove all your markers except your start of round marker.

Shaping the crown

You will now divide your hat into 9 (10,11) wedges of 8 sts, placing a marker after every 8^th stitch (your start of rnd marker is now also your last wedge marker).

Work the following rnds once (twice, twice)

Rnd 1: *Knit to within 2 sts of your marker, sl1wyib, k1, psso; rep from * until end.

Rnds 2, 3 & 4: Knit

Now work the following 2 rnds 6 (5, 5) times until you have 9 (10, 11) sts rem.

Rnd 1: Knit to within 2 sts of your marker, sl1wyib, k1, psso

Rnd 2: Knit

4. Cut your yarn with a long tail and thread through the rem sts and to the wrong side of the hat before pulling tight and weaving in your end.

Bind off the brim

Pick up the stitches from your provisional cast on. Starting at a point at the back of the hat, join yarn and use an i-cord bind off on all your stitches as follows:

CO 3 stitches to the left-hand needle, using a knit cast on method.

1. Knit the first 2 sts
2. Knit the next two sts together through the back loop.
3. Slip the 3 sts now on your right-hand needle purlwise back to the left-hand needle.

Repeat steps 1 to 3 until you have 3 sts rem.

K2togtbl, slip the worked st back to the left-hand needle. K2togtbl. Cut your yarn and pull through the last st. Weave the ends of the icord edge together.

Finishing

Weave in your remaining ends. Wash according to your yarn band instructions and dry flat or on a hat blocker to even out the stitches, if desired.

Add embellishments if desired. The embellishments on the sample shown are two simple knit leaves (one in laceweight and one in handspun worsted) and one 5 petal crochet flower (see video below) with a 3 petal version on top (both laceweight).These are simply sewn to the hat using their own tail ends.