733 First Frost Hat - Knitting Pattern for Women and Kids in Valley Yarns Northfield

733 First Frost Hat – Knitting Pattern by Carol J. Sulcoski in Valley Yarns Northfield

The First Frost Hat (Pattern #733) is a charming, slightly slouchy knitted cap designed by Carol J. Sulcoski and worked in the luxurious Valley Yarns Northfield yarn. Available in three sizes — Child's Small, Child's Large, and Adult — this pattern makes a wonderful holiday gift or a satisfying quick knit for anyone looking to explore lace techniques for the first time. The adult size produces a finished circumference of 20 inches, while the child's sizes measure 16.25 and 18 inches respectively.

Design Overview

The First Frost Hat combines a snug garter stitch edging with decorative vertical eyelet columns that lend the hat its delicate, frost-inspired aesthetic. The slightly slouchy silhouette gives it a relaxed, modern feel while remaining practical and warm across all three sizes. The design is intentionally approachable, making it an excellent introduction to lace knitting for beginners who are ready to move beyond plain stockinette.

Techniques Used

• Knitting in the round – The hat is worked entirely in the round on a 16-inch circular needle, eliminating seams and creating a smooth, continuous fabric.
• Lace knitting – Vertical eyelet columns are created using yarn-over increases paired with decreases, forming the signature decorative lines that give the hat its name.
• Garter stitch in the round – The edging is worked by alternating knit and purl rounds, which produces the classic ridged garter texture when knitting circularly.
• 3-needle bind off – A spare needle is used to execute a three-needle bind off, a technique that neatly joins live stitches and closes the top of the hat with a tidy, professional finish.

Stitches Used

• Knit stitch – The foundational stitch used throughout the body of the hat.
• Purl stitch – Used in alternating rounds during the garter stitch edging section.
• Yarn-over (YO) – Creates the open eyelet holes that form the lace columns.
• Decreases – Paired with yarn-overs to maintain stitch count within the lace pattern and to shape the crown.

Construction Details

The hat begins with a cast-on of 90 (100, 110) stitches joined carefully in the round with a stitch marker placed to indicate the beginning of each round. The 2-inch garter stitch edging is worked first, establishing a neat, snug brim. Following the edging, the eyelet lace section is introduced, running vertically up the body of the hat to create elegant lines of open stitchwork. The crown is then shaped and closed using the 3-needle bind off technique.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for Valley Yarns Northfield, a beautifully blended DK weight yarn composed of 70% Merino wool, 20% Baby Alpaca, and 10% Silk, available in 50g/124-yard skeins. The sample is shown in color 10 Sea Spray. You will need 1 skein for Child's Small and 2 skeins for Child's Large or Adult sizes. The silk and baby alpaca content gives the finished hat a subtle sheen and exceptional softness against the skin, making it especially suitable as a gift.

Needles and Notions

• US size 6 (4.00 mm) 16-inch circular needle – or the size needed to achieve gauge
• Spare needle in the same size, required for the 3-needle bind off at the crown
• Stitch marker – to mark the beginning of each round
• Tapestry needle – for weaving in ends

Gauge

The recommended gauge is