INTRODUCTION

Astronomer's Beret

by Merri Fromm

Sometimes a yarn just tells me what it wants to be, right there in the yarn shop. This delicious yarn is tonal-dyed and has an astronomically named palette, so I immediately started planning ways to add the stars to my knitting.

The hat begins with a corrugated ribbed band, alternating contrasting colors every other row. The body is worked in one color. Then the hat is embellished with simple embroidery. To create the star chart of the winter night sky visible in the northern hemisphere, use simple pins or removable stitch markers to plan your constellation placement or you can just "freehand" it as I did. Use a blunt darning needle and take care not to place the needle through the individual strands of yarn but right in between stitches or in the center “V” of the knit stitch. And also take care and don't stretch the fabric out of shape. Finish the ends by weaving them in as you would your knitting.

You can block the hat on a dinner plate to make a nice round beret, or you can block it on a bowl or balloon to make it a slouch style.

model: Merri Fromm

photos: Tamara Nelson-Fromm

SIZE

Adult S[M, L]
shown in size M with 1.5 inches/4 cm of negative ease


FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Circumference: 19[20, 21.5] inches/ 48[51, 54.5] cm
Depth: 9.25 inches/23.5 cm, unfolded

MATERIALS

Yarn
Quince & Co Phoebe [100% Extra Fine American Merino; 301/275m per 100g skein];
[MC] Pluto; 1 skein [dark grey]
[CC1] Saturn; 1 skein [plum]
[CC2] Jupiter; 1 skein [pale grey]

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #5/3.75mm circular needle, 16 inch/40cm
US #6/4mm circular needle, 16 inch/40cm
US #6/4mm needles for small circumference in the round

Notions
yarn needle
stitch marker

GAUGE

21 sts/33 rounds = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch using larger needle

PATTERN NOTES

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

Embroidery guide for stars:

CHARTS

DIRECTIONS

With smaller circular needle and MC, cast on 104[112, 120] sts, place marker and join for working in the rnd, being careful not to twist.

Corrugated Ribbing Brim
Round 1: [P1 with CC1, k1 with MC] around.
Round 2: [P1 with CC2, k1 with MC] around.
Repeat Rounds 1–2 five times more, and work Round 1 once more.

Change to larger needles and MC.
Knit 1 round.
Increase Round: [K2, m1R, k2, M1L] 26[28, 30] times. 156[168, 180] sts.

Body
Knit 28 rounds.

On final round, place markers every 13[14, 15] sts. There will be 12 markers, including the start of round.

Crown
Decrease round: [K to 2 sts before marker, k2tog] around. 12 sts decreased.
Knit 3 rounds.

Note: As hat gets too small to work on circular needle, change off to small-circumference method.

Repeat the last 4 rounds 2[3, 4] more times. 120 sts

Work Decrease round followed by 1 even round 8 times. 24 sts.
Last 2 rounds: K2tog around.
6 sts rem after final round.

Cut yarn leaving a 12 inch/30cm tail, thread onto yarn needle, run through remaining live sts twice and pull tight to close.

FINISHING

Weave in ends.

To block this hat, soak in lukewarm water and roll in towel to squeeze most of the moisture out. Place a dinner plate inside of hat to stretch out body of hat round and flat keeping brim unstretched. Allow the hat to dry evenly.

Embroider stars constellation
Use scrap yarn to sew a running stitch to divide the hat into 4 sections. Use CC2 and chart to sew stars and use CC1 to sew running stitch and charts to sew constellation outlines. Remove scrap yarn. See photos for help.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Merri lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she designs hand knits while also working as a graphic designer and instructor.

You'll find more of her work, including another astronomy inspired hat called Moonlight Slouch Hat on Ravelry.

Pattern & images © 2018 Merri Fromm.