Blue North

Blue North is a soft, refined take on a winter classic. The slipped-stitch rib adds gentle structure without competing with the airy mohair halo held together with smooth merino. The result is a delicate, pretty texture that feels polished without trying too hard.

Light, warm, and easy to wear, it’s made for crisp days. The fabric has plenty of stretch, making the generous negative ease feel comfortable rather than tight. Sized for almost everyone and worked from the bottom up, Blue North includes options for a single or folded brim.

Sizes: 

The finished hat, in sizes S (M, L, XL), measures 9½ (11¾, 14¼, 16½)” / 24 (30, 36, 42) cm in circumference. Depth is 7 (8¼, 9½, 10¼)” / 18 (21, 24, 26) cm with a single brim, or 8½ (9¾, 11, 11¾)” / 21.5 (25, 28, 30) cm before folding for a folded brim. The hat is designed to be worn with 6–8” / 15–20.5 cm of negative ease.

Materials:

Single brim – folded brim: 69 – 83 (100 – 120, 130 – 156, 160 – 193) y / 63 – 76 (91 – 110, 119 – 143, 146 – 176) m of each: 

·       Polka Dot Sheep Stumptown DK, 100% superwash Merino, 231 y/ 212 m; 100 g/ 3½ oz., and 

·       Polka Dot Sheep Altitude, 75% superkid mohair / 25% silk, 460 y/ 420 m; 50 g/ 1¾ oz. 

Samples shown in “Singletrack” Altitude and Mystic (single brim) or Beargrass (folded brim.)

Tools:

US 7 (4.5 mm) double pointed knitting needles and 16”/ 40cm circular knitting needles or needle size necessary to obtain gauge; spare needle; 5 stitch markers with one differing; tapestry needle.

Gauge:

27 sts/26 rows over 4”/10 cm in Main Body patterning unstretched, blocked, with yarns held together. 

Abbreviations:

Cdd – Centered double decrease; slip 2 stitches together knitwise, knit 1, pass slipped stitches over (2 sts decreased) 

K2tog– Knit 2 together (right leaning single decrease)

K– Knit

P –Purl

Rep – Repeat

Rnd(s) – Round(s)

Sl1 – Slip 1 st purlwise with yarn in back

Ssk– Slip, slip, knit (left-leaning decrease)

St(s) – Stitches