A Good Ribbing His & Hers Hats in Caron Simply Soft, Simply Soft Collection and Simply Soft Paints - Downloadable PDF

A Good Ribbing His & Hers Hats in Caron Simply Soft – Pattern Summary

Designed by Tina Sanders, A Good Ribbing His & Hers Hats is a free, downloadable PDF knitting pattern offering two coordinating colorwork hat designs — one For Her and one For Him — making it an ideal project for couples or anyone who enjoys knitting matching accessories. Both hats feature rich, multi-colored striping and satisfying all-over ribbed texture, worked seamlessly in the round from the brim to a neatly shaped crown.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a pair of ribbed knit hats sized to fit an average adult head. Each finished hat measures 22 inches (56 cm) in circumference and 8 inches (20.5 cm) in length, with a note in the instructions allowing knitters to add extra rounds for a taller, slouchier fit. The hats are worked in the round on circular needles, transitioning to double-pointed needles as stitches are decreased at the crown.

Design Details – For Her

The Her version uses a cool, ocean-inspired palette drawn from three yarn colorways:

• Contrast A: Caron Simply Soft in Dark Country Blue (9711)
• Contrast B: Caron Simply Soft in Pagoda (0014)
• Contrast C: Caron Simply Soft Paints in Oceana (0006)

The three colors are worked in sequence across the body of the hat, creating distinct horizontal color bands that play beautifully against the deeply textured ribbing. The variegated Simply Soft Paints colorway in Oceana adds an organic, painterly transition between the solid-color sections.

Design Details – For Him

The Him version uses an equally cohesive but more subdued, nature-inspired palette:

• Contrast A: Caron Simply Soft in Dark Sage (9707)
• Contrast B: Caron Simply Soft in Ocean (9759)
• Contrast C: Caron Simply Soft Paints (one skein)

As with the Her version, the three yarns are introduced in sequence to build the color-blocked, striped body of the hat before the crown shaping begins.

Yarn and Materials

Both hats are knitted using Caron Simply Soft and Caron Simply Soft Paints — two well-loved yarns from the Caron Simply Soft Collection. Caron Simply Soft is a smooth, machine-washable acrylic yarn available in a wide range of solid colors, making it a practical and affordable choice for everyday accessories. Each skein contains 288 meters (315 yards) and weighs 170 g (6 oz), and one skein of each solid color is required per hat. Caron Simply Soft Paints is the self-striping, variegated companion yarn in the collection, with each skein providing 190 meters (208 yards) at 113 g (4 oz). Both yarns fall in the aran to worsted weight category, giving the finished hats a satisfying density and warmth without being overly heavy.

The pattern calls for circular knitting needles for the body of the hat and double-pointed needles (dpns) for working the crown decreases once the stitch count becomes too small for the circular needle. The recommended gauge is 18 stitches and 27 rounds to 4 inches (10 cm) in the ribbing pattern, measured slightly stretched — a standard gauge check that ensures the hat will fit correctly around the head.

Techniques Used

This pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty, making it well-suited to knitters who are comfortable with circular knitting and basic shaping but may not yet have tackled complex colorwork or intricate stitch patterns. Key techniques include:

• Kn