Mountain Backroads Hat

Mountain Backroads Hat by Jennifer Myrick

What is Being Made

The Mountain Backroads Hat is an intermediate-level knitted beanie designed by Jennifer Myrick. This downloadable knitting pattern produces a finished adult hat available in two sizes: Adult Small with an unstretched circumference of 19 inches (48 cm) and a height of 9 inches (23 cm), and Adult Medium-Large with an unstretched circumference of 21 inches (53 cm) and a height of 10 inches (25 cm). The hat features a two-color colorwork design combining contrasting yarn colors for visual interest and texture.

Techniques Used

This knitting pattern employs several intermediate techniques that make it suitable for knitters with some experience. The hat is worked in the round using circular needles, which creates a seamless construction. The pattern incorporates cable twists as a primary design element, specifically using a 3/3 rib twist technique where stitches are slipped and held to create twisted cable effects. The pattern also uses two-color stranded knitting or colorwork, alternating between a main color (MC) and contrast color (CC) to build the decorative pattern. Additional techniques include working through the back loop (ktbl) for textured stitches and various decreases to shape the crown of the hat.

Stitches Used

The Mountain Backroads Hat utilizes a variety of knitting stitches to create its finished structure:

• Knit through the back loop (Ktbl) – creates twisted stitches that add texture and visual definition to the colorwork sections
• Purl stitches (P) – used in the ribbed brim and as part of the cable twist pattern
• Knit two together (K2tog) – a right-leaning decrease used for shaping
• Knit two together through the back loop (Ktogtbl) – a left-leaning decrease for balanced decreasing
• Slip, knit two together, pass slipped stitch over (SK2P) – a centered double decrease for crown shaping
• Rib twist 3/3 – a cable technique involving slipping stitches and working them in a specific sequence to create twisted cable effects

Materials

The Mountain Backroads Hat pattern calls for specific materials to achieve the intended finished product. Yarn is Kelbourne Woolens GERMANTOWN, a 100% North American wool yarn available in 100-gram skeins with 220 yards of yardage. The pattern requires 1 skein of color #059 Pebble for the contrast color and 1 skein of color #410 Navy for the main color. The yarn weight is suitable for both aran and worsted weight applications.

Needles include two sizes of 16-inch circular needles: Size 6 (4mm) needles for the ribbed brim and Size 8 (5mm) needles for the main pattern body. The pattern gauge is 24 stitches and 21 rounds measured over 4 inches (10 cm) when working the pattern on the larger needles.

Additional notions required for completion include a stitch marker to indicate the beginning of rounds, a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends, and a cable needle for working the cable twist techniques. These materials work together to create a durable, warm hat with professional finishing.