Colorful Crafting with Jen: His + Her Knit Hats

The super soft Jade Sapphire 12 ply Cashmere, with its wide range of colors, was the perfect choice for these His + Her winter hats. After picking two colors that would work for both of us and choosing this simple spiral rib stitch, I started and finished my first hat in just one evening! --Jen

Materials

Yarn (to make one hat)

• 2 or 3 skeins of Jade Sapphire 12 ply cashmere (two skeins of the main color and one skein of the contrast color if you make a striped hat like mine, or if you choose to make your hat all one color, it will take 2 skeins of that color). If you would like to use a different yarn, you will need approximately 140 yards of a chunky yarn per hat. You can find all of our chunky yarns at this link.

Tools

• US size 9, 16-inch circular needle (or size needed to get the correct gauge)
• US size 9, double pointed needles (or size needed to get the correct gauge)
• stitch marker

Gauge

3.75 stitches = 1-inch in rib pattern

Finished Measurements

Men's Hat

22-inches circumference

Women's Hat

20-inches circumference

The Patterns

Men's Hat

With Main Color cast on 81 stitches (dark blue in hat shown), place marker and join into a round, being careful not to twist stitches around the needle.

Rounds 1 - 3: K3, *p3, k3; repeat from * to end of round.
Rounds 4 - 6: K2, *p3, k3; repeat from * to last stitch, end with p1.
Rounds 7 - 9: K1, *p3, k3; repeat from * to last two stitches, end with p2.
Rounds 10 - 12: *P3, k3; repeat from * to end of round.
Rounds 13 - 15: P2, *k3, p3; repeat from * to last stitch, end with k1.
Rounds 16 - 18: P1* k3, p3 to last two stitches, end with k2.

Switch to contrast color (light blue in hat shown)

Rounds 19 - 21: *K3, p3; repeat from * to end of round.
Rounds 22 - 24: K2, *p3, k3; repeat from * to last stitch, end with p1.
Rows 25 - 27: K1, *p3, k3; repeat from * to last two stitches, end with p2.

Switch back to main color

Rounds 28- 30: *P3, k3; repeat from * to end of round.
Rounds 31 - 33: P2, *k3, p3; repeat from * to last stitch, end with a k1.
Rounds 34 - 36: P1, *k3, p3; repeat from * to last two stitches, end with k2.
Rounds 37 - 39: *K3, p3; repeat from * to end of round.

Decrease Round:
Round 40: K2, *p1, p2tog, k3; repeat from * to last stitch, end with p1 (68 stitches).
Rounds 41 - 42: K2, *p2, k3; repeat from * to last stitch, end with p1.

Decrease Round:
Round 43: K1, *p2, k1, k2tog; repeat from * to last two stitches, end with p2 (55 stitches).
Rounds 44 - 45: K1, *p2, k2; repeat from * to last two stitches, end with p2.

Decrease Round:
Round 46: *P2tog, k2; repeat from * to last stitch, end with a k1 (41 stitches).
Rounds 47 - 48: *P1, k2; repeat from * to last stitch, end with k1.

Decrease Round:
Round 49: *P1, k2tog; repeat from * to last stitch, end with k1 (28 stitches).

if you haven't switched to double pointed needles yet, now would be a good time to do so!

Round 50: *P1, k1; repeat from * to end of round.

Round 51: *K2tog; repeat from * to end of round (14 stitches).
Round 52: *K2tog; repeat from * to end of round (7 stitches).

If you end with a bit more than 7 stitches (or a bit less) its nothing to worry about.

Thread yarn through remaining stitches and pull tightly. Weave in ends and you're done!

Women's Hat

With Main Color cast on 75 stitches (light blue in hat shown), place marker and join into a round, being careful not to twist stitches around the needle.

Rounds 1 - 3: K3, *p3, k3; repeat from * to end of round.
Rounds 4 - 6: K2, *p3, k3; repeat from * to last stitch, end with p1.
Rounds 7 - 9: K1, *p3, k3; repeat from * to last two stitches, end with p2.
Rounds 10 - 12: *P3, k3; repeat from * to end of round.
Rounds 13 - 15: P2, *k3, p3; repeat from * to last stitch, end with k1.
Rounds 16 - 18: P1, *k3, p3; repeat from * to last two stitches, end with k2.

Switch to contrast color (dark blue in hat shown)

Rounds 19 - 21: K3, *p3, k3; repeat from * to end of round.
Rounds 22 - 24: K2, *p3, k3; repeat from * to last stitch, end with p1.
Rounds 25 - 27: K1, *p3, k3; repeat from * to last two stitches, end with p2.

Switch back to main color

Rounds 28- 30: P3, *k3, p3; repeat from * to end of round.
Rounds 31 - 33: P2, *k3, p3; repeat from * to last stitch, end with k1.
Rounds 34 - 36: P1, *k3, p3; repeat from * to last two stitches, end with k2.

Decrease Round:
Round 37: *K3, p2tog, p1; repeat from * to end of round (63 stitches).

Rounds 38 - 39: *K3, p2; repeat from * to end of round.

Decrease Round:
Round 40: K2tog, p2, *K1, k2tog, p2; repeat from * to last stitch, end with p1 (50 stitches).
Rounds 41 - 42: K1, *p2, k2; repeat from * to last stitch, end with p1.

Decrease Round
Round 43: *P2tog, K2; repeat from * to last two stitches, end with p2tog (37 stitches).
Round 44 - 45: *P1, k2; repeat from * to last stitch, end with p1.

If you haven't switched to double pointed needles yet, now would be a good time to do so!

Decrease Round
Round 46: *P1, k2tog; repeat from * to end of round (25 stitches).
Round 47: *P1, k1; repeat from * to end of round.

Decrease Rounds:

Round 48: *K2tog; repeat from * to last stitch, end with k1 (13 stitches).

Round 49: *K2tog; repeat from * to last stitch, end with k1 (7 stitches).

If you end with a bit more than 7 stitches (or a bit less) its nothing to worry about!

Thread yarn through remaining stitches and pull tightly. Weave in ends and you're done!

Comments

[amysue]

the hat's are cute, but the two of you in this pic are adorable!

[Catherine]

Hi --

I'm a so caler as well, a quilter in my other life, but wanting to learn to knit, but not sure where to start.

Any places that offer a started/beginner class would be great.....

[jen]

hi catherine!

we don't have knitting classes here at the warehouse for purlsoho.com but there is a store in the back bay of costa mesa called the sheared sheep. you can find them here http://www.theshearedsheep.com/

have fun!

jen

[kelly]

Is this pattern up on ravelry? I saw this via the craft website, and I was hoping to put it in my favorites so I could remember it for later.

[purl bee]

Hi Kelly,
I'll add it tonight to Ravelry!
Joelle

[andrea]

Hi Jen-
I will try and knit one of these up for one of my brothers before Christmas! Thanks for the pattern...

[Cynthia]

I knit the women's hat over the weekend and find the pattern does not match up properly. I ended up with a very odd pattern at the beginning/end of rounds. Perhaps it's really only supposed to start with 72 stitches? Thanks, anyway...

[purl bee]

Hi Cynthia,
The pattern is actually written this way on purpose in order to be the correct size.

[Heather King]

I knitted the men's hat and found, like Cynthia, that if I followed the pattern exactly, I started to get a block of six knit or six purl stitches at the back, rather than keeping the k3 p3 rib going evenly. I decided to start it again, using 84 stitches instead of 81. It didn't make much difference to the size of the hat, but the extra three stitches meant that the rib continued perfectly all the way around, and the finished result is exactly what I wanted. So it seems that what is needed is an even number of 3-stitch repeats, rather than an uneven number.

Thanks for the inspiration. I feel like making this hat has given me more confidence in my knitting skills.

[Lucie]

I'm trying to make this with a Med Wt yarn that I bought. The yarn says the gauge is 18 sts/4 inches. (Friend has bald head, so chose a nice alpaca/cashmere yarn)

I made a gauge swatch of 20 stitches across, that = 3.4 inches.
I am understanding this to be 5.88 sts per inch.

The pattern says 3.75 sts per inch.
So, I went to a size 10 needle, and I still got 5.3 sts perinch.

I'm going nuts trying to figure out what to do. If anyone has any suggestions that would be much appreciated! Thank you!

[purl bee]

Hi Lucie,
It sounds like your yarn is too thin to get the gauge. Maybe try doubling it and knitting with a 10 to see if you get the gauge. The yarn used in the pattern has a gauge of 12 sttiches = 4 inches in stockinette (the 3.75 is in the pattern stitch) which is much thicker than the yarn you're using. Hope this helps, but let us know if you have more questions.

[Stine]

Hi
Is the "finished measurements" head size or hat size? And is it stretched or unstretched?

[purl bee]

Hi Stine,

The finished measurements are head size. They will both stretch a bit to fit a larger size head - at least one inch, possibly two.

Thanks!

Jen

[ashley]

hey there, like your pattern but im having a hard at the beginning of the pattern. row 4-6( *k2,p3,k3 *,p1) at the end. my question is does it end p1 only time or 3 times on rows4-6?

[Lori]

I have a question about Rows 19-21 and Rows 28-30. When you get to the end of the row there is 3 stitches left. Do I knit the 3 stitches for Rows 19th-21 and purl the last 3 stitches for Rows 28-30?

Thanks,
Lori

[purl bee]

Hi Lori,
You shouldn't be left with 3 stitches on either row. Can you tell us how many stitches you have on the needles at this point and also how you are working the row (for instance, what are you beginning with?)

[Lori]

I'm knitting the ladies hat and have 75 sts on the needle.

Row 19 instructions are
*k3 P3 repeat from* to the end of the round.

If I follow the instructions I should be ending at P3 at the end of the round. and I can't if there is 75 sts on the needle. There is 3 more stitches after the last P3.

Should row 19 be the same as row 1 in the instructions?

Thanks,
Lori

[purl bee]

Hi Lori,
Oh dear, looks like you found a mistake in our pattern! I'm going to fix it right now, but in the meantime here is what you should do:

Rounds 19 - 21: K3, *p3, K3; repeat from * to end of round.

Rounds 28- 30: P3, *k3, p3; repeat from * to end of round.

Thanks for your patience!
Joelle

[Elizabeth]

I would like to knit this hat for my toddler son (3 yrs old). He has a 20 in head circumferance, which matches your women's sizing. Should I make him the women's hat size or do you think I should try to make it smaller. And if I make it smaller, how? Thank you for your help!

[purl bee]

Hi Elizabeth,
You should make the women's hat, but make it shorter in length (start the decreasing much sooner, after 3 or 4 inches of knitting) The pattern has enough stretch that it should fit him.

[Elizabeth]

Thank you! I think I'll start the decreases right when the color change is supposed to start. Those rounds start the same way. Very fun pattern to knit!!!