Little Bits Beanie
(The above 4 photos show two people wearing a hat in light gray yarn with textured stripes in different colors.)
Little Bits Beanie is perfect for those tiny scraps of beloved yarns you just can’t bear to part with, but can’t really use in anything bigger. Pair bright, variegated stripes with a neutral main color to tone them down, or add solid stripes to a variegated main color for a sophisticated look.
Please note - the main color is best worked at this gauge in a heavy fingering weight (100g = 400 yd / 366 m) or even a sport weight yarn. If using a lighter fingering weight yarn as the MC, you may wish to use a smaller needle and knit a larger size according to your smaller gauge.
For the contrast color stripes, a lighter fingering weight should be fine as the stripes are very small.
This hat is knit from the brim up, with a choose-your-own-adventure brim and stitch pattern incorporating multiple colors, and incorporates quick decreases at the top to create a flatter crown. Contrast colors are joined and broken in stripes, and the main color is used throughout. The lengths given in pattern are for a slouchy hat, but you can easily omit pattern repeats to get a closer fitting hat.
A low-vision version of the pattern is also available. This version is written in 24 point sans serif font (Arial) in all black text. It has no italics. All of the directions are fully written out.
Finished Sizes
10 (12, 14, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22) in / 25.5 (30.5, 35.5, 40.5, 45.5, 48.5, 51, 53.5, 56) cm
To fit
12 (14, 16, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24) in / 30.5 (35.5, 40.5, 45.5, 51, 53.5, 56, 58.5, 61) cm
...with approx. 2 in / 6 cm of negative ease
Yarn
Heavy fingering weight in wool, a wool blend, or other fiber with good stretch and memory; avoid fiber that grows when worn or is particularly slinky or drapey.
Sample used Knit Picks Hawthorne Kettle Dye in Slate (80% wool, 20% nylon, MC) and assorted CCs
Yardage
MC: 49 (66, 92, 115, 156, 173, 190, 209, 228) yd / 44 (60, 84, 105, 143, 158, 174, 191, 208) m
CC: 8 - 12 yds / 5.5 - 11 m of each CC
Gauge
24 stitches, 28 rounds over 4 in / 10 cm on larger needles in stockinette
Materials
US 4 / 3.5 mm for brim
US 5 / 3.75 mm for body, or size needed to obtain gauge
You will need a 16 in / 40.5 cm circular for the body of the hat (adult sizes) and DPNs or a longer circular for child sizes and small-circumference knitting at the crown (all sizes).
If doing the folded brim, you will need two 16 in / 40.5 cm circulars or another set of DPNs of the smaller size for the joining round.
Notions
crochet hook (optional, for provisional cast-on)
embroidery needle
stitch markers
Sample
Adult sample was knit in size 19 and used 157 yd / 144 m of MC. It is shown on a 21 in head.
Sharing photos of your work? Tag @laur_oftheblings on instagram and use hashtags #LittleBitsBeanie and #lotbknits
This pattern was proofread by bluecrabknits.