Mary Jane

Mary Jane Striped Slouchy Beanie by Melissa Wehrle

What Is Being Made

The Mary Jane is a slouchy beanie hat designed by Melissa Wehrle. Despite its sheer appearance, this hat provides genuine warmth through thoughtful yarn and construction choices. The design features a striped body created by alternating yarn colors, with the natural halo effect of the yarn allowing the tonal stripes to blend seamlessly together for a sophisticated, cohesive look.

Yarn and Materials

This pattern calls for Kid Silk Haze yarn, a lace-weight to varied-weight yarn known for its exceptional softness and subtle sheen. The hat is worked using two strands of the main color (MC) held together for the initial plain stockinette section, then transitions to single strands of contrasting color (CC) and main color for the striped body. A circular needle is required for working in the round.

Knitting Techniques and Construction Method

The Mary Jane employs a clever construction technique that maximizes knitting efficiency. The hat begins by casting on 94, 104, or 118 stitches (depending on size) and working in standard stockinette stitch for the first 4 inches. At this point, one end of yarn is broken off and the hat is turned inside out—a technique that allows the knitter to continue working all subsequent rounds as knit stitches rather than alternating between knit and purl rounds. This inside-out turning places the purl side facing outward, creating the reverse stockinette appearance for the striped body section.

Stitches Used

The pattern utilizes two primary stitches:

• Stockinette Stitch: Worked in the round by knitting every round, creating the smooth V-pattern texture on the knit side
• Reverse Stockinette Stitch: Achieved by turning the hat inside out and continuing to knit all rounds, which displays the bumpy purl side as the public-facing surface of the striped section

Stripe Pattern and Sizing

Once the hat is turned inside out, the striped pattern begins. The stripe repeat consists of 3 rounds worked in one color, followed by 3 rounds in a contrasting color. This 6-round repeat continues until the hat reaches 12 inches or the desired length from the cast-on edge. The pattern is available in three sizes: 18/19-inch, 20/21-inch, and 22/23-inch head circumferences, accommodating various ages and head sizes.

Difficulty Level

Rated as a beginner-level pattern, the Mary Jane is accessible to knitters new to hat construction. The straightforward stockinette and reverse stockinette stitches, combined with the simple stripe repeat, make this an ideal project for developing circular knitting skills and understanding how yarn color and construction methods create visual interest in finished garments.