INTRODUCTION

Cumulus

by Lana Jois

This is the story of a bossy little skein of yarn. It sat in my hands, so soft and so blue. And wanted to be knit immediately. Like now. I never stood a chance. It was also very, very clear about being lace. A lace hat, to be precise. So great was its determination (and such a pleasure to work with) that I finished in a day. And knew I had knitted myself a piece of cloud. So soft and lofty and blue. Reminding me of sunny days, summer skies, golden sands and lapping waves. It was like I had brought home the beach.

Beginning with a twisted rib, this lace hat is knit from the bottom up, in the round. It's a great way to use any small skein of lovely fingering weight yarn you may have – there's lace, twisted stitches, pretty motifs and best of all, you'll be done before you know it.

model: Lana Jois

photos: P Hosamani

SIZE

 Teen[Small Adult, Large Adult]
shown in size Small Adult

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Circumference:  13.75[16, 18.25] inches/ 35[40.5, 46.5] cm.
Will stretch to comfortably fit head circumference up to 19[21, 24] inches/ 48.5[53.5, 61]
Depth:  8.25[8.25, 8.75] inches/ 21[21, 22.5] cm - can be adjusted

MATERIALS

Yarn
Manos del Uruguay Alegria [75% wool – merino, 25% nylon/polyamide; 445 yd/407 m per 3.53 oz/100 g skein]; A2463: Pescador; 1[1, 1] skein

Yarn Characteristics: The sample shown uses a fingering-weight superwash merino blended with nylon. The yarn is smooth and lightly springy. It would work equally well in a pure wool yarn, or a blend. The pattern stitch looks best in a smooth yarn, and a solid or near-solid color. You need approximately 140[150, 160] yds.

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #4/3.5mm 16-inch/40cm circular needle
US #3/3.25mm circular needle, 16-inch/40-cm
1 set US #4/3.5mm needles for small circumference in the round

Notions
1 stitch marker
yarn needle

GAUGE

25 sts/34 rounds = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch
28 sts/36 rounds = 4 inches/10 cm in pattern stitch

PATTERN NOTES

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

SK2P: Slip 1 st knitwise, k2tog, pass slipped st over stitch just knit.

CHARTS

Body Pattern (Worked over 16 sts)
Round 1: K1 tbl, p1, ssk, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, k2tog, p1, k1 tbl, p1.
Round 2: K1 tbl, p1, k11, p1, k1 tbl, p1.
Round 3: K1 tbl, p1, ssk, k2, yo, k3, yo, k2, k2tog, p1, k1 tbl, p1.
Round 4: Repeat Round 2.
Round 5: K1 tbl, p1, ssk, k1, yo, k5, yo, k1, k2tog, p1, k1 tbl, p1.
Round 6: Repeat Round 2.
Round 7: K1 tbl, p1, ssk, yo, k1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1, yo, k2tog, p1, k1 tbl, p1.
Round 8: Repeat Round 2.
Round 9: K1 tbl, p1, ssk, yo, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk, yo, k2tog, p1, k1 tbl, p1.
Round 10: Repeat Round 2.
Round 11: K1 tbl, p1, ssk, yo, k7, yo, k2tog, p1, k1 tbl, p1.
Round 12: Repeat Round 2.
Round 13: Yo, k3, k2tog, (p1, k1 tbl) twice, p1, ssk, k3, yo, k1.
Round 14: K5, (p1, k1 tbl) twice, p1, k6.
Round 15: K1, yo, k2, ssk, (p1, k1 tbl) twice, p1, k2tog, k2, yo, k2.
Round 16: Repeat Round 14.
Round 17: K2, yo, k1, k2tog, (p1, k1 tbl) twice, p1, ssk, k1, yo, k3.
Round 18: Repeat Round 14.
Round 19: Yo, ssk, k1, yo, k2tog, (p1, k1 tbl) twice, p1, ssk, yo, k1, k2tog, yo, k1.
Round 20: Repeat Round 14.
Round 21: K1, yo, ssk, yo, k2tog, (p1, k1 tbl) twice, p1, ssk, yo, k2tog, yo, k2.
Round 22: Repeat Round 14.
Round 23: K3, yo, k2tog, (p1, k1 tbl) twice, p1, ssk, yo, k4.
Round 24: Repeat Round 14.

Crown pattern
Round 1: K1 tbl, p1, ssk, k7, k2tog, p1, k1 tbl, p1. 14 sts per repeat.
Round 2: K1 tbl, p1, k9, p1, k1 tbl, p1.
Round 3: K1 tbl, p1, ssk, k5, k2tog, p1, k1 tbl, p1. 12 sts per repeat.
Round 4: K1 tbl, p1, k7, p1, k1 tbl, p1.
Round 5: K1 tbl, p1, ssk, k3, k2tog, p1, k1 tbl, p1. 10 sts per repeat.
Round 6: K1 tbl, p1, k5, p1, k1 tbl, p1.
Round 7: K1 tbl, p1, ssk, k1, k2tog, p1, k1 tbl, p1. 8 sts per repeat.
Round 8: K1 tbl, p1, k3, p1, k1 tbl, p1.
Round 9: K1 tbl, p1, SK2P, p1, k1 tbl, p1. 6 sts per repeat
Round 10: K1 tbl, p1, k1, p1, k1 tbl, p1.
Round 11: K1 tbl, SK2P, k1 tbl, p1. 4 sts per repeat.
Round 12: K1 tbl, k1, k1 tbl, p1.
Round 13: SK2P, p1. 2 sts per repeat.

DIRECTIONS

Using smaller needles and your favorite stretchy method, CO 96[112, 128] sts. Place marker and join to work in the round.

Brim
Round 1: (K1 tbl, p1) around.
Work ribbing as set until piece measures 1.5[1.5, 2] inches/ 4[4, 5] cm. To add length, work more ribbing.

Body
Switch to larger circular needles.
Body round: Work Body Pattern 6[7, 8] times around.
Work until you have completed Body Pattern Rounds 1-24 two times in full.

Crown

Note: Change to needles for small circumference when hat gets too small to work on circular needle.
Crown round: Work Crown Pattern around.
When decreases are complete,  12[14,  16] sts rem. Cut yarn. Pull tail through remaining stitches and pull tight.

FINISHING

Weave in ends.
Block by soaking the hat thoroughly in room temperature water. Gently squeeze (don't wring!) out the excess water; you may also roll it up in a dry towel and press to squeeze out excess water. Do not stretch or pin out the lace pattern. Either lay flat to dry after a gentle shaping, or blow up a balloon to about the size of the recipient's head and use it as a form for the hat to dry.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Lana loves to knit and experiment with construction and texture. While she likes lace knitting best, she is slowly discovering the potential of stockinette fabric and may surprise herself by actually knitting something entirely in stockinette one of these days.

Pattern & images © 2021 Lana Jois