11 + 1 Hat in Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash Sport - DK371 - Downloadable PDF

11 + 1 Hat in Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash Sport – Pattern Summary

The 11 + 1 Hat is an original knitted hat design by Shannon Dunbabin, published by Cascade Yarns and available as a free downloadable PDF. Built around the number 12 as a creative concept, this pattern offers knitters a beautifully structured colorwork hat that can be worn two ways: as a slouchy hat or folded up into a classic stocking cap, making it a versatile addition to any handknit wardrobe.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a colorwork knitted hat featuring two distinct charted stitch patterns, each 12 stitches wide, worked in 12 repeats around the circumference of the hat. The feather chart is additionally 12 rows tall, reinforcing the pattern's signature numeric theme. The finished hat measures 17 inches in circumference (unstretched) at the brim and 10 inches in length from the cast-on edge, providing a comfortable, stretchy fit suitable for a range of adult head sizes.

Techniques Used

• Circular knitting in the round – the hat is worked seamlessly on 16-inch circular needles, transitioning to double-pointed needles as stitches decrease toward the crown
• Two-color stranded colorwork – two colors are carried across rounds following charted designs, creating the pattern's distinctive visual texture
• Ribbing – a knit/purl ribbed brim provides stretch and structure at the cast-on edge
• Crown shaping and decreases – stitches are reduced toward the top of the hat using standard decrease techniques to form a neat, fitted crown
• Chart reading – knitters follow two separate 12-stitch charts repeated 12 times around, requiring comfort with reading knitting charts in the round

Stitches Used

• Knit (K) and Purl (P) – the foundational stitches used throughout
• Stockinette stitch – the primary stitch pattern for the body of the hat, worked in the round
• Ribbing – worked at the brim for elasticity and a polished finish
• K2tog (Knit 2 Together) – a right-leaning decrease used in crown shaping
• Kfb (Knit into the Front and Back) – an increase stitch referenced in the pattern abbreviations

Materials and Yarn

The pattern calls for Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash Sport, a 100% Merino Wool yarn available in 50 g (1.75 oz) skeins of 137 yards (125 m) each. The sport weight yarn is soft, machine-washable, and ideal for colorwork due to its smooth, even texture and excellent stitch definition.

• Color A: 2 skeins of #813 Blue Velvet – the main color used throughout the hat body
• Color B: 1 skein of #802 Green Apple – the contrast color used in the charted colorwork sections

Needles and Notions

• US 4 / 16-inch circular knitting needles – used for the ribbed brim
• US 6 / 16-inch circular knitting needles – used for the main body of the hat
• US 6 double-pointed needles (DPNs) – used for working the crown decreases when the stitch count becomes too small for circular needles
• Stitch marker, yarn needle

Gauge

The pattern specifies a gauge of 6 stitches per inch in Stockinette stitch, making accurate gauge swatching important for achieving the correct finished dimensions. At a sport weight gauge, the fabric is lightweight yet warm — well-suited to the intermediate skill level this pattern is rated at.