Fall contest!

Artyarns is generously providing the yarn to make these hats as the prize to one lucky Knitty reader!

Read the contest details and then make sure you're eligible to win!

These slouchy double-knit hats can be worn two ways. The photos show them being worn with the glitzy beaded and sequin side showing. But they can be worn on the other side which is plain solid hand-dyed wool with an ever so slight variegation showing but no beads and sequins at all.

Because the beads and sequins are pre-strung on silk, the extra layer of silk added to the wool will make these knitted hats extra warm.

The knitting is entirely done in 1x1 rib stitch, but because the second color is always hidden in front of the purl stitches, and rib stitch tends to condense, the hats look like they are entirely stockinette on both sides. In sections where both yarns are used (beaded silk & sequins on one side, and solid merino on the other), the double layer of knitting can literally be pulled apart.

SIZE
One

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Brim circumference, unstretched: 15"
Will comfortably fit head circumference up to 24"
Height: 9 inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
[MC] Artyarns Supermerino [100% superwash merino wool; 208yd/190m per 100g skein]; color: #256; 1 skein
Note: Supermerino is available in both 50g and 100g skeins. 100g are needed for each hat.
[CC] Artyarns Beaded Silk & Sequins [100% silk with sequins and glass beads; 78yd/71.3m per 50g skein]; color: #198; 1 skein
Note: 1 skein of Beaded Silk & Sequins [CC] will be enough to work both hats shown.
If you want to make both hats, purchase a second skein of MC

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 16-inch US #4/3.5mm circular needle
1 16-inch US #6/4mm circular needle
1 set US #6/4mm double-point needles

Notions
Stitch marker
Yarn needle

GAUGE
26 sts/20 rows = 4 inches in both 1x1 Rib and double knit pattern (beaded rounds), unstretched

PATTERN NOTES
[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

Two versions of hat are shown. Version A has one large stripe of CC, and is easier to work. Version B has many smaller stripes.

ssp: Slip next 2 sts knitwise, one at a time, to right needle. Slip them both, purlwise, back to left needle. Purl them together through their back loops.
inc1: [K1, p1] into next st. 1 st increased.

Reorder sts: When shaping the crown of Version B, sts must be reordered before decreases are worked so that the double-knit effect is maintained. When the pattern says “reorder sts”, the next 4 sts on the left needle will be [k1, p1, k1, p1]. You want to reorder them so that they are [k2, p2]. One way of doing this is to use a cable needle, as follows:
Sl first k st to cable needle and hold to front of work, sl first p st to right needle, sl next k st to cable needle with first k st and hold to front of work, sl first p st from right needle back to left needle, sl both k sts from cable needle to left needle.

1x1 Rib (Worked in the round over an even number of sts):
All Rounds: [K1, p1] to end.

Beaded Rounds:
The beaded yarn (CC) is worked in a double knit pattern, so that the CC yarn shows on the RS of the work and the MC yarn shows on the WS. There are two ways to work a beaded round; try them both and decide which you prefer! If you decide to switch methods halfway through the project, don't worry; the effect of both techniques is the same.

Method 1: In this method, one beaded round is actually made up of two rounds: one worked using CC (Round A), and one worked using MC (Round B).
Round A: Using CC, [k1, sl 1 with yarn held to front of work] to end of round.
Round B: Using MC, [sl 1 with yarn held to back of work, p1] to end of round.
Remember that Round A and Round B together count as only one Beaded Round!

Method 2: In this method, both yarns are carried as you work the round. Begin with both yarns held to back of work.
Beaded Round: [K1 using CC; bring both yarns forward between needles to front of work, p1 using MC;  bring both yarns back between needles to back of work] to end of round.

DIRECTIONS

Work 8 rounds 1x1 Rib.
Next Round: [K1, p1, inc1, inc1] to end. 144 sts.
Work 1 more round 1x1 Rib.

VERSION A [shown at right]
Switch to larger circular needle and work 6 more rounds 1x1 Rib.

Join CC and work 18 Beaded Rounds. Break CC; crown is worked using MC only.

Work 2 rounds 1x1 Rib.

Shape Crown:
When shaping crown, switch to double-point needles when necessary.

Round 1: [K1, p1, k2tog, p2tog] to end. 96 sts.

Even-Numbered Rounds 2-14: Work all sts in 1x1 Rib.

Round 3: [Work 12 sts in pattern, k2tog, p2tog] to end. 84 sts.

Round 5: [Work 10 sts in pattern, k2tog, p2tog] to end. 72 sts.

Round 7: [Work 8 sts in pattern, k2tog, p2tog] to end. 60 sts.
Round 9: [Work 6 sts in pattern, k2tog, p2tog] to end. 48 sts.
Round 11: [Work 4 sts in pattern, k2tog, p2tog] to end. 36 sts.
Round 13: [Work 2 sts in pattern, k2tog, p2tog] to end. 24 sts.
Round 15: [K2tog, p2tog] to end. 12 sts.
Break yarn, draw through remaining sts and pull tight. Weave in end securely.

VERSION B [shown at top of pattern and immediately below this text]
Note: When working stripes in 1x1 Rib using MC, carry CC loosely along inside of work, catching strand every few 2-3 rounds.

Switch to larger circular needle and join CC.
Work 3 Beaded Rounds.
Work 3 rounds 1x1 Rib using MC.
Repeat these 6 rounds twice more.

Work 5 Beaded Rounds.
Work 3 rounds 1x1 Rib using MC.

=

Shape Crown:
When shaping crown, switch to double-point needles when necessary. See Pattern Notes for directions for “reorder sts”.

Round 1: Using MC, [K1, p1, reorder sts, ssk, ssp] to end. 96 sts.
Even-Numbered Rounds 2-8: Work Beaded Round.
Round 3: Using MC, [work 12 sts in pattern, reorder sts, ssk, ssp] to end. 84 sts.
Round 5: Using MC, [work 10 sts in pattern, reorder sts, ssk, ssp] to end. 72 sts.
Round 7: Using MC, [work 8 sts in pattern, reorder sts, ssk, ssp] to end. 60 sts.
Round 9: Using MC, [work 6 sts in pattern, reorder sts, ssk, ssp] to end. 48 sts.
Round 10: Work Beaded Round. Break CC; remaining rounds are worked using MC.
Round 11: [Work 4 sts in pattern, reorder sts, ssk, ssp] to end. 36 sts.
Round 13: [Work 2 sts in pattern, reorder sts, ssk, ssp] to end. 24 sts.
Round 15: [Reorder sts, ssk, ssp] to end. 12 sts.

FINISHING
Weave in ends.

Iris Schreier is a knitting author and owner of Artyarns. She is the author of Reversible Knits (Lark, 2009), a book with techniques to help you plan both sides of a knitted piece, whether they are deliberately different or identical.

You can view her company's yarns and designs here.