Any Gauge Hat

The first time I made this hat, I was on a plane heading to a family vacation. I had been racing to get everything ready before the trip and barely had time to think about what I would cast on. But I knew I didn’t want to spend a four-hour flight not knitting. So, I grabbed a lonely but treasured skein from my stash, a set of appropriate needles, and cast on without a plan.

By the time we landed, I had a finished hat: a simple, classic toque that seemed perfect as a gift for a young adult family member. I never published the pattern because I thought it might be too easy.

Fast forward to this year’s gift-knitting season. I was chatting with a friend at Knit Night, and she mentioned that she had started a hat on a plane trip but wasn’t happy with how it was turning out. She described her ideal travel knit hat: top-down, adaptable to any gauge, and easy to customize. As she spoke, I realized she was describing the same hat I had made years before.

A top-down hat can be a little fiddly to start, but you don’t have to worry about gauge so much;  you just stop increasing when the hat is wide enough. It is also great for gift knitting, since you can use whatever yarn you have in the recipient’s favourite colour. You can knit it extra long for a folded brim, or try it on as you go. “Yarn Chicken” stakes are much lower when you’re not sure how thick the folded brim will be versus whether you will be able to close the crown. 

Materials:

Any thickness of yarn, from lace to bulky, can be used to make this hat. Approximately 22-46 (27-59, 35-63, 44-87, 52-105, 65-115)g of yarn is needed, with the lower end estimate representing a shallower, fine weight yarn and the upper end estimate representing bulky yarn and a deeper hat.  Superwash wool and Superwash wool blends (nylon or silk) are ideal. 

Tools:

• The magic loop technique is ideal for this hat. If using this method, use a 32”/ 80cm circular knitting needle in a size that is the smallest suggested by the yarn manufacturer to be appropriate for the yarn thickness or even 1 size smaller. For example if using worsted weight yarn, chose US 6 (4 mm) needles, or,
• Alternate to magic looping with the long circular needle, DPNs, a 16”/ 40cm needle in appropriate gauge and scrap yarn can be used, and, 
• 6 stitch markers with one differing, a crochet hook in an appropriate thickness or a tad smaller for the yarn used and a tapestry needle. 

Gauge:

Any stitch gauge from 8-28 sts in 2”/5cm of unstretched 1X1 Ribbing; any row gauge. 

Sample Hat Gauge (for reference):

• Big Sky Bulky from Polka Dot Sheep in “Pygmy Owl,” on 6 mm (US 10) needles: ~10 sts per 2” / 5 cm
• Classic DK from Yarn Ink in “Malibu” on 3.5 mm (US 4) needles: ~18 sts per 2” / 5 cm
• Dandy Sock Fingering from The Dandy Doe Studio in “Foxfire” on 2.5 mm (US 1) needles: ~24 sts per 2” / 5 cm

Sizing:

This pattern includes instructions for five sizes, for baby, child, teen, small–medium adult, and large adult heads.

Because the hat is worked in 1 x 1 ribbing, it stretches to fit and is designed to be worn with 30–40% negative ease. Consult the charts below for approximate circumferences of finished hats based on gauge.