The middle of winter might be the best time to bring out something bright and colorful as everything around starts to lose its vibrancy and sinks into hibernation. Two of the color combinations showcased here are bright and the other blends a bit in a quieter way. This hat is mostly stockingnette stitch with a gateway shape at the side to add a bit of a twist and a fun knitting experience. The pattern is easy to memorize and quick to knit.

There are a total of two sizes given and instructions for two different weights – Chunky Child, DK Child and DK Adult.

Needle Size

US size 6 (4mm) for the DK weight and US size 10 (6mm) for the chunky weight.

Yarns

Child Chunky – 104 yards/95 grams Zanetto Chunky Merino.

Child DK – 50 yards/45 grams Zanetto DK Merino wool.

Adult DK (2 color version) – 60 yards/55 grams White (MC) and 22 yards/20 grams of Sarah’s House (CC) Zanetto DK Merino in colorways White and Sarah’s House, DK Merino.

Gauge

DK with US size 6 (4mm) needles: 24 sts and 33 rows over 4 inches / 10 cm.  Brim knit in US size 1 (2.5mm) needles

Chunky yarn with US size 10 (6mm needles): 15 sts and 19 rows over 4 inches / 10 cm. Brim knit in US size 6 (4mm) needles

Notions

Up to 10 stitch markers; tapestry needle.

Final Measurements

Child chunky yarn: 9″ across / long; 22″ circumference;

Child DK yarn: 7″ across / 7 inches long; 21″ circumference.

Adult DK yarn: 15″ circumference

Abbreviations

Please see our standard abbreviations.

K3 tog tbl – knit 3 stitches together through the back loop

Pattern Stitches

Fancy net: YO, K3 tog tbl, YO, K1

C2F: Place one stitch on cable needle; hold at front; k1 stitch from knitting needle; k1tbl stitch from cable needle

C2B: Place one stitch on cable needle, hold at back; k1tbl from knitting needle; k1 from cable needle

Hat

Instructions are given for Child in Chunky (Child in DK, Adult in DK)

CO 78 (88, 140) sts

Place sm; join in the rnd making sure the sts don’t twist.

Start with a ribbing section – knit with a smaller needle

Rnds 1 to 10: (K1, P1) repeat until end;

One color hat – Hat body

Rnd 1: K16 (25, 50), C2F, (YO, K3 tog tbl, YO, k1) rep until 18 (28, 49) sts rem (see chart A), C2B, K16 (K26, K47)

Rnd 2: Knit until you reach the cable stitch; C2F, (YO, K3 tog tbl, YO, k1) rep until you reach one st bef the cable stitches; C2B, knit until stitch marker.

Repeat Rnd 2 until the cable stitches meet; Sometimes there won’t be enough stitches to complete the fancy net pattern (YO, K3 tog tbl, YO, k1); either k1 or k2 until you reach 1 st before the cable st.

Two color hat – Hat body

Child DK (Child Chunky, Adult DK)

Rnd 1: K16 (K26) (K50), [switch color] C2F (knit only the sts from the cable needle in the second color), (YO, K3 tog tbl, YO, k1) rep until 18 (28, 52) sts rem, C2B, (knit only the sts from the cable needle in the second color) [change to color A], k until sm.

Rnd 2: Knit until you reach the cable stitch; C2F, (YO, K3 TOG TBL, YO, K1) rep until you reach one st before the cable sts; C2B, knit until sm.

Repeat Rnd 2 until the cable sts meet and there are only 4 sts left of the cable pattern as the cables meet. (See picture below.)

Sometimes there won’t be enough sts to complete the fancy net pattern (YO, K3 tog tbl, YO, k1); At those times, either k1 or k2 until you reach the st bef the cable st.

Working the colors – twisting the colors together. To provide a nice pattern on the inside of the hat and to reduce the length of the floats, I recommend twisting the two yarn colors around each other every two sts. In the cable and fancy net pattern, twist them together after every yarn over.

Begin decreases

Work this section for either the one- or two-color hat.

You’re starting with 78 (88, 140) sts.

Knit rnd and place stitch markers every 13 (11, 14) sts; 6 (8, 10) stitch markers placed. Make sure the initial stitch marker is a different color so it’s easy to distinguish. I always use green for the first stitch marker.

Rnd 1: Begin two stitches before stitch marker, *k2tog, slip marker, ssk, knit until two before next st marker; repeat from * until end.

Rnd 2: Knit

Rnd 3: Knit

Rep rnds 1 to 3 until there is only 1 (1, 2) sts rem between the stitch markers

BO – cut off a long piece of yarn and thread through the rem sts; drop the stitch markers; cinch tight and push yarn into the center of the hat and weave ends.