Speckle Star

Speckle Star Hat by Justyna Lorkowska

What Is Being Made

The Speckle Star is a knitted hat designed by Justyna Lorkowska, sized to fit a 54-56 cm (21-22 inch) head circumference. This downloadable PDF pattern creates a finished hat measuring approximately 25 cm (10 inches) from brim to top, making it a classic, wearable hat suitable for a range of head sizes within the specified measurement.

Craft and Techniques

This project uses knitting as the primary craft method. The hat is worked in the round, which is a fundamental technique for creating seamless, cylindrical garments like hats. The pattern employs a German Twisted Cast-On method (also called Tubular Cast-On) for the brim, a technique that creates a particularly neat and elastic edge ideal for ribbed sections. The hat features colorwork, incorporating both a main color and a contrast color to create the speckled star pattern that gives the design its name.

Stitches and Stitch Techniques

The Speckle Star pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches and techniques appropriate for a beginner-level project. Key stitches include:

• Knit stitch (k) – the basic stitch forming the fabric
• Purl stitch (p) – used in the 1x1 ribbed brim for texture and elasticity
• Knit 2 together (k2tog) – a decrease stitch used for shaping
• Make one right (m1R) – an increase stitch created by lifting the strand between stitches from the back and knitting into the front loop

The brim begins with a 1x1 rib, which alternates knit and purl stitches to create stretch and recovery. The pattern is worked in rounds using markers to denote the beginning of each round and to track pattern repeats.

Materials

The Speckle Star pattern requires 2 skeins of Organic Aran by Olann, a yarn weight classified as aran (medium weight). This yarn is composed of 100% Peruvian organic merino wool, offering softness and breathability. Each 100-gram skein provides 166 meters (182 yards) of yardage. The pattern is shown in two colorways from this yarn line: Granny Smith (used as the main color) and Archaic (used as the contrast color).

Needles required include:

• 3.5 mm/US #4 needles – smaller needles used for the ribbed brim to create a tighter, more elastic edge
• 4.0 mm/US #6 circular needle – at least 40 cm (16 inches) long – the larger needle size used for the main body of the hat to accommodate the full stitch count and allow for working in the round
• Double-pointed needles (dp needles) – for working the crown decreases when the stitch count becomes too small for the circular needle

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as beginner level, making it an excellent introduction to hat knitting and colorwork. While it incorporates techniques like German Twisted Cast-On and color changes, the straightforward construction and use of basic stitches make it accessible to knitters new to these methods.