Midnattsol Hat

Midnattsol Hat by thepetiteknitter

What Is Being Made

The Midnattsol Hat is a knitted hat designed for intermediate-level knitters. This downloadable PDF pattern creates a finished hat worked in the round using DK weight yarn, featuring a ribbed brim, Fair Isle colorwork, and a decorative pom pom finish.

Knitting Techniques Used

This pattern employs several intermediate knitting techniques that build essential skills:

• Knitting in the Round: The hat is constructed using circular needles and double-pointed needles (DPNs) to create a seamless, tubular fabric from the bottom up.
• Fair Isle Knitting: A stranded colorwork technique is incorporated into the pattern, allowing knitters to work with multiple yarn colors simultaneously to create decorative patterns.
• Ribbing: The brim features a knit-purl ribbing pattern that provides stretch and a finished edge. The ribbed section is worked flat and then folded in half for a professional appearance.
• Decreasing: Strategic decreases shape the crown of the hat, with successive rounds reducing stitch counts to create a fitted top.
• Kitchener Bind Off: This grafting technique is used for a seamless finish at the crown.
• Pom Pom Construction: The pattern includes instructions for making and attaching a decorative pom pom to the top of the hat.

Stitches Used

The Midnattsol Hat utilizes fundamental knitting stitches appropriate for intermediate crafters:

• Knit (K): The primary stitch forming the main fabric of the hat.
• Purl (P): Used in combination with knit stitches to create the ribbed brim texture.
• Knit Two Together (k2tog): A right-leaning decrease used throughout the crown shaping rounds to gradually reduce stitches and form the hat's top.

Materials: Yarn, Needles, and Notions

Yarn: The pattern calls for Sandnes Garn SMART in DK weight. Multiple color options are specified with yardage requirements: color 1015 requires 44 yards (40 meters), color 1053 requires 31 yards (28 meters), color 1088 requires 164 yards (150 meters), and color 2527 requires 33 yards (30 meters). The total yardage accommodates the Fair Isle colorwork sections and ensures sufficient yarn for the entire hat.

Needles: The pattern uses two needle sizes, both 3 mm (US 2.5). A 40 cm (16 inch) circular needle is used for the initial cast-on and brim work, while double-pointed needles (DPNs) in the same size are employed for the crown decreases when the stitch count becomes too small for the circular needle.

Notions and Tools: Additional supplies include stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and round beginnings, a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends and grafting the final stitches, and materials for constructing the pom pom finish.

Pattern Overview

The Midnattsol Hat begins with casting on 132 stitches on the circular needle and joining to work in the round. The brim is worked in a knit-one, purl-one ribbing pattern for approximately 15 centimeters (6 inches), then folded in half to create a double-layer edge. The main body incorporates a Fair Isle pattern chart, allowing knitters to introduce colorwork into their projects. Crown shaping begins at round 40 with a series of decreases that reduce the stitch count progressively: from 121 stitches in round 41, down to 110 in round 42, continuing through subsequent rounds until the crown is fully shaped. The pattern transitions to double-pointed needles when necessary for working the final decreases. A Kitchener bind-off technique completes the crown seamlessly, and a handmade pom pom is attached to the top for a finished look.