Candy Wrapper Hat

Candy Wrapper Hat by Denise Balvanz

What is Being Made

The Candy Wrapper Hat is a women's fitted hat available in small/medium and large sizes. This is a one-skein knitting project designed to use a single ball of worsted weight yarn, making it an efficient and accessible hat pattern for knitters looking to create a complete garment from minimal yardage.

Construction Method and Techniques

This hat employs a top-down construction approach, beginning with a circular cast on at the crown. The pattern uses Emily Ocker's Circular Cast On or an alternative circular cast on method, which creates a seamless, centered starting point at the top of the hat. Knitters work downward from this crown point, continuing until either the yarn is exhausted or the desired hat length is achieved. The pattern is designed so that these two endpoints ideally coincide, maximizing yarn efficiency.

The construction transitions from double pointed needles to circular needles as the circumference expands. Knitters may use a single 16-inch circular needle or two circular needles, depending on personal preference and comfort with different needle styles.

Stitches and Stitch Techniques

While the PDF excerpt provided does not detail the complete stitch pattern, the hat construction relies on fundamental knitting stitches worked in the round. The pattern incorporates stitch markers to track the beginning of rounds, which is essential for maintaining pattern consistency and shaping in circular knitting.

Yarn and Materials

The recommended yarn is Silk and Merino from The Diana Collection by Yarns Northwest (a division of Russi Sales, Inc), a worsted weight blend. Each ball weighs 50g and provides 110 meters or 120 yards of yardage. The sample shown is worked in rose colorway.

An alternate yarn option is Karaoke by South West Trading Company, also worsted weight, at 50g per ball with 109 yards of yardage. Knitters may substitute other worsted weight yarns, though the pattern emphasizes the importance of checking gauge and adjusting needle sizes accordingly to achieve the correct finished dimensions.

Needles and Gauge

Needles: US size 7 double pointed needles and a 16-inch circular needle (or two circular needles as an alternative)

Gauge: 5.5 stitches per inch. Achieving correct gauge is critical for this pattern, as it directly affects the fit of the finished hat and determines how far the single skein of yarn will extend.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as advanced, reflecting the techniques required. Knitters should be comfortable with circular cast ons, working in the round with multiple needle styles, and managing stitch markers and pattern shaping.