by Woolly Wormhead

It's no secret that I think about Hats all day, every day. Whether it's how to construct the perfect Hat, working through the architecture of an unusual crown decrease or deconstructing an all-important fine detail, I love Hats. This unisex slouch is, at first glance, a simple working of offset stripes in subtle, earthy colors that play across the Hat right up to the brim. Hidden beneath the smooth surface however are carefully aligned short rows that stack up to make this slouch as visually appealing as it is to knit. Brindled in color and Brindled by name, this Hat presents the perfect playground to explore the architecture of Hats.

Worked in Shibui Knits Pebble held double, this Hat knits up at a 4ply/ Sock weight gauge. Silk, Cashmere and Merino are the perfect complement to this light and drapey Hat. By working up a hat with such a soft, fine yarn held double, the light gauge makes this a good transition piece. The soft garter stitch brim keeps things low key and perfectly smooth for a truly modern and unisex feel. Whether it's soft, muted tones for this graphic Slouch that you choose or something bolder, Brindled will appeal to knitters everywhere who share my joy in beautiful construction and perfect color play.

SIZE
To fit head circumference: 18[21, 24] inches

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Finished size, brim: 15.5[18.5, 21.5] inches
Finished size, hat body: 18[21.5, 5] inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
Shibui Knits Pebble [48% Silk, 36% Merino, 16% Cashmere; 22yd/205m per 25g skein]
[MC] Abyss, 1[2, 2] skeins
[CC] Pollen, 1[1, 2] skein(s)

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #2/2.75mm 16-inch circular needle
US #2.5/3mm 16-inch circular needle
US# 2.5/3mm needles for a small circumference in the round

Notions
stitch marker
yarn needle

GAUGE

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

Should you wish for more slouch, additional stripes can be worked. Each stripe requires 30[36, 42] yds of yarn.

The crown shaping starts at the original start of round point, the center back, and you will need to ensure that you are at that point should extra stripes be worked, either by slipping stitches as directed in the crown shaping, or by working the stripes to that point.

DIRECTIONS
Using smaller needles and MC held double, cast on 100[120, 140] sts. Place marker and join in the round, being careful not to twist sts.

Brim
Rnd 1: Purl.

Rnd 2: Knit.

Repeat these 2 rounds until work measures 1.25[1.5, 1.75] inches, ending after Rnd 2.

Next rnd, increase: [P5, m1] around. 120[144, 168] sts.

Break yarn, change to larger needles

Body
*Join CC.
Knit 1 round.

Short-Row Stripe:
Row 1 [RS]: K113[135, 158], w&t.

Row 2 [WS]: P105[126, 147], w&t.

Row 3 [RS]: K90[108, 126], w&t.

Row 4 [WS]: P75[90, 105], w&t.

Row 5 [RS]: K60[72, 84], w&t.

Row 6 [WS]: P45[54, 63], w&t.

Row 7 [RS]: K30[36, 42], w&t.

Row 8 [WS]: P15[18, 21], w&t.

Row 9 [RS]: K to end of round, working wrapped sts together with their wraps.

Knit 1 round. Break yarn and remove marker.
Slip 40[48, 56] sts purlwise, replace marker, and join MC for next stripe.

Knit 1 round, work the Short-Row Stripe again, and knit 1 round.

Break yarn and remove marker.
Slip 40[48, 56] sts purlwise and replace marker.

Repeat from * until a total of of 9[10, 12] stripes have been worked; after final stripe, break yarn but do not shift the start of the round.

Setup for crown decrease, first and third sizes only: Break yarn, remove marker, slip 40[–, 56] sts purlwise, replace marker. All sizes now have the marker at the original start of round.

Crown
Join next color in sequence, and shape crown as follows, changing to DPNs/magic loop or 2 circulars as hat gets too small to work on 16 inch circular.

Rnd 1: Knit.
Rnd 2: [K2tog, ssk] around. 60[72, 84] sts.
Rnds 3, 4, 5: Knit.
Rnd 6: [K2tog, ssk] around. 30[36, 42] sts.
Rnds 7, 8: Knit.
Rnd 9: [K2tog, ssk] to last 2[0, 2] sts, k2tog 1[0, 1] times. 15[18, 21] sts.
Rnd 10: Knit.
Break yarn and draw through remaining stitches, tighten to close.

FINISHING
Weave in all ends. A gentle wash and blocking is required to help the decrease lines settle in and lay flat.

Woolly fully admits that she dreams about Hats and 3-D knitted forms. She can't help it. Thankfully, her partner and their son forgive her and they all live peacefully together, spending much of their time in their converted double decker bus, which is generally parked somewhere in Northern Italy. Her previous Knitty patterns include Urbanista and Hexed.

You can keep up with their adventures on her website.