This hat, Vanilla on the Side (Ravelry link, free pattern) changed the way I make hats. I posted a few posts with the zillion hats I’ve knit in the past little but, but I came up with a unique beret pattern. I’ve seen the hats that half a small brim, and a huge hat. I never get the name right. Is it slouchy? Beret? Beanie? Toque? So I google searched, and found out that what I made is more of a beret.
This is a pattern I made up using short rows on the knitting loom as a flat panel, rather than knitting in a circle. I was going to use my Cottage Loom, the 20″ fully adjustable loom (similar, but much stronger, than the All in One Knitting Loom, and all the patterns for the AIO can be used on the cottage. My Cottage Loom has 118 pegs total. I was going to cast on 30 pegs for the brim, do it in the round, and gradually increase by moving the slider out, until I had 50 pegs.
But I came up with a different way. Sideways. In short rows. Much easier. No fiddling with the peg sliders. It took a day. I used this yarn in Orchid Bouquet Variegated and used almost a full skein., 195 yards.
This pattern would be good for a confident beginner, best for someone intermediate, due to short rows, and wrapping and turning. A provisional cast on/off can be used, but I did not, because my mitts look great with it, but I’ve fucked up my hats with it. I will describe in as much detail as possible.
What You Need
- About 170-250/ yards of yarn depending on the loom. I used chunky. I recommend a stretchy yarn. Not too stretchy, but with a bit of bounce.
- 1/2″ gauge (peg spacing) knitting loom with at least 30 pegs. This makes quite a large hat, you can play with the number if you’d like. It’s huge on me. Add repeats for a bigger hat. This is done as a flat panel so it does not need to be round.
- Knitting tool and crochet hook, as well as a tapestry needle for the bind off.
- Optional stitch markers, one movable.
Terms
- Sl 1: Slip one stitch. Basically, don’t knit it. This is only used at the beginning of some rows.
- K: Knit (all knits are e-wrap knits. You can use whatever knit stitch you prefer, but the size will be different, and so will the stretch)
- P: Purl. This is done by taking the working yarn underneath the stitch on the peg, putting the knitting tool through the stitch on the peg, grabbing the working yarn, pulling it through to make a loop, removing the existing stitch and replacing it with the loop you just made onto the peg. Here’s a tutorial. It’s easier than it sounds!
- W&T: Wrap and turn. This stops gaps in fabric, and is important in short rows. Lift the stitch off the peg, take the working yarn behind the peg you just lifted the loop off of, wrap around, and replace the existing loop. After this is done, you are knitting in the opposite direction.
- KTMM: Knit to movable marker. This includes the peg the marker is on.
- KTM: Knit to marker. This marker is on peg 6.
The Pattern
Double e-wrap cast on 30 pegs from right to left (clockwise). You can use a provisional cast on if you prefer, or a crochet cast on. The double e-wrap cast on is done by wrapping the peg twice, knitting the bottom loop over the top, then moving to the next peg. Peg 1 is the first peg you cast on on the right, and Peg 30 is the last peg you cast on.
Place a stationary marker on peg 6 (brim), and peg 21 (last short row before beginning a new wedge).
Place a movable marker on peg 28.
You do not need to use markers, but it makes life easier.
Peg 1-6 is the brim of the hat. After casting on, you will be at the left, on peg 30.
1. Sl1, K all
2. P6, KTMM, W&T Peg 29. Move movable marker one peg to the right. It is now on Peg 28.
3. K22, W&T Peg 6, you are stopping at peg 7, wrapping peg 6, and then turning and going towards peg 30.
4. KTMM W&T 28 Move movable marker one peg to the right.
5. Knit 27
6. P6, KTMM W&T Peg 27 Move movable marker one peg to the right.
7. K20, W&T Peg 6
8. KTMM W&T Peg 26 Move movable marker one peg to the right.
9. Knit 25
10. P6, KTMM W&T Peg 25 Move movable marker one peg to the right.
11. K18, W&T Peg 6
12. KTMM W&T Peg 24 Move movable marker one peg to the right.
13. K 23
14. P6, KTMM W&T Peg 23 Move movable marker one peg to the right.
15. K16, W&T Peg 6
16. KTMM W&T Peg 22 Put movable marker back on peg 28.
17. K 21
18. P6, K to peg 30.
This concludes one wedge.
Repeat rows 1-18 8-12 times depending on the size of your head. I used 9 repeats. This depends on the thickness of your yarn.
Cast off using a knitted cast off if you aren’t using a provisional bind off.
Knitted Cast Off
Starting on Peg 30, move peg 29 to peg 30, and knit over. Knit peg 30 and move to peg 29.
Move peg 28 to peg 29, knit over. Knit peg 29 and move to peg 28.
And so on, until you get to peg 1, knit it, and grab a tapestry needle and cast it off the loom by running the needle through the last stitch. Seam together.
Remember the brim of the hat is going to be half the size (as you knit 2 stitches for the brim for every 4 for the hat) of the hat itself. This is why you’re wrapping and turning peg 6 on some rows. You are omitting the brim, and adding to the hat itself… sorry, this is hard to explain.
The brim will look like K1, P1 (rib stitch) when it’s done. The hat is just e-wrap’s (knits).
If you have any questions, post in the comments section.
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