A classic hat never goes out of style. A simple knit suitable for a beginner, the Stockholm hat was inspired by (and knitted for!) our trip to Sweden. The Captain picked out the color and it brightened up our whole trip and made our wintery pictures pop.
This is an updated version of my ancient “Brangelina” hat — it’s very flexible, and like all my hat patterns can easily be sized up or down by changing needles or yarn weight.
SUPPLIES
- One skein Noro Taiyo
- One 16″ circular needle in size 9
- Double-pointed needles (DPNS) in size 9
- Yarn needle
- Stitch markers + one stitch marker that looks noticeably different from the rest
Gauge: 4.5 stitches per inch of stockinette stitch (You can probably make this work if your gauge is 4 stitches/inch, it’s a very forgiving pattern.)
DIRECTIONS
Cast on 78 stitches on a 16″ size 9 circular needle. Join the stitches, making sure stitches are not twisted (all the “butts” of the stitches hang down flat).
Note: For a seamless join in the round, cast on one additional stitch than needed, so CO 79. When joining the stitches in a circle, move the last cast on stitch (#79) to the left needle (next to stitch #1), knit those two together to join the round.
Or just cast on the simple way with 78 stitches, join, and move on with the pattern.
HAT BRIM
Work in K1 P1 ribbing until your hat measures about 4.5 inches from the cast-on edge. If you are a VERY loose knitter, you may want to do this portion in a smaller needle size. The brim of this hat is quite long because I don’t like to turn up a hat and see reverse stockinette.
BODY OF THE HAT
Once your brim is about 4.5 inches, switch to stockinette stitch.
Work in stockinette stitch (in the round this means knitting every stitch) for 3″, or until your hat measures about 7.5 inches from the cast-on edge.
DECREASE
When your hat measures about 7.5″ from the cast-on edge, begin your decreases.
Note about decreasing:
My marker method is about as foolproof as you can get for decreasing a hat. Once you have your markers in, simply make your decrease on the two stitches before each marker. That means you knit until you see a marker and work the two stitches before the marker into a decrease (on this hat you knit them together.) You can also decide to do it after each marker. I like doing it before. We are all individuals! Do you!
I’ve been making hats like this forever and now I know every time I see a stitch marker to decrease the two stitches before the marker. It’s a way for me to be able to knit and watch TV at the same time.
Set up your markers
Place a marker or scrap of yarn to denote the beginning of the rounds. This marker should be different from all the other markers. It is a special marker. Mwah.
Next, you will place a marker along the round denoting every space where a decrease will occur. For this pattern, you will create a set-up row by knitting 13 stitches, place marker, knit 13 more, place marker. Continue until all markers are placed and you are back at The Special Marker. There should be six markers placed total.
Start decreasing for the crown
On the next row, begin to decrease by knitting two together every time you see a stitch marker:
First round: Knit 11, K2tog, continue to end of round
Next round: Knit 10, K2tog, continue to end of round
Next round: Knit 9, K2tog, continue to end of round
Next round: Knit 8, K2tog, continue to end of round
Next round: Knit 7, K2tog, continue to end of round
(This is usually about the time I switch to double pointed needles because the circular needle becomes cumbersome.)
Next round: Knit 6, K2tog, continue to end of round
Next round: Knit 5, K2tog, continue to end of round
Next round: Knit 4, K2tog, continue to end of round
Next round: Knit 3, K2tog, continue to end of round
Next round: Knit 2, K2tog, continue to end of round
You can carry on decreasing but I think this is a good place to stop.
Cut the yarn, leaving a tail of about 10 inches. Thread the yarn tail through a large-eye needle. Bind off with the needle by sewing the yarn through all stitches and tying off. I kind of loop the yarn tail through the stitches a few times to get it really, extra bound off (insert rolling eyes emoji here) and then I tie a knot. A knot! It’s fine, we will all live.
Weave in all ends.
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Wear your classic hat with style in a loud color or simple in a solid. This hat would also look great alternating two colors of yarn.
