Product Description
Lake Pillsbury is a manmade lake located in the Mendocino National Forest. As a kid, my mom would load my sister and me in the car and we’d drive to the lake for camping, kayaking, and swimming. The lake is a favorite haunt for locals, and if you’re lucky you get to see the amazing Tule elk herd grazing in the grassy fields surrounding the lake. The Pillsbury hat is the perfect project for fireside camping and will keep your head protected from those blustery days at the lake.
Pillsbury fits an average adult head with a circumference of 22-24 inches.
The stitch pattern is written in multiples of six and is easy to memorize with four rounds of stockinette and two rounds of patterned stitches.
The hats shown are fairly tall but when pulled down over the ears they fit like a standard beanie. Wear it tall, pull it down, or knit it in a silk blend for a little extra slouch!
Pillsbury Knit Hat by Erin Birnel
Project Overview
The Pillsbury hat is an intermediate-level knitting project designed as a cozy, protective beanie perfect for camping and outdoor adventures. Inspired by Lake Pillsbury in the Mendocino National Forest, this hat combines practical warmth with a classic construction suitable for knitters with some experience.
What Is Being Made
This pattern creates a fitted adult-sized knit hat designed to comfortably fit heads measuring 22 to 24 inches in circumference. The Pillsbury hat serves as an ideal accessory for cold-weather activities, particularly outdoor camping and lakeside recreation where protection from wind and chill is essential.
Knitting Techniques Used
The Pillsbury hat employs fundamental knitting techniques appropriate for an intermediate skill level. The construction utilizes circular knitting methods, which allow for seamless, tubular fabric creation. The pattern incorporates both circular needles and double-pointed needles to shape the crown and complete the hat's structure. Knitters will work in the round using stitch markers to track pattern repeats and shaping decreases as the hat transitions from the body to the crown.
Stitches and Stitch Patterns
The primary stitch used in this hat is stockinette stitch, which creates a smooth, classic fabric with characteristic V-shaped columns. Stockinette stitch worked in the round produces the traditional knit appearance without purling. The pattern achieves a gauge of 5 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch when worked on the larger needles, establishing the proper fabric density and finished dimensions.
Materials and Yarn Specifications
The Pillsbury hat offers flexibility in yarn selection, with two primary options provided:
- Mountaintop Crestone by Classic Elite: 100% naturally undyed wool, 100 yards per skein. This option requires 2 skeins and is shown in color 5103. The natural, undyed fiber provides an earthy aesthetic suitable for outdoor wear.
- Dream in Color Classy: 100% merino wool, 250 yards per skein. This option requires only 1 skein and is shown in Blue Lagoon colorway. Merino wool offers softness and breathability alongside warmth.
Needles and Tools
The pattern requires a specific needle setup to accommodate the hat's construction:
- US #6 (4 mm) 16-inch circular needle for the ribbed cuff
- US #7 (4.5 mm) 16-inch circular needle for the main hat body
- US #7 (4.5 mm) double-pointed needles for crown shaping and closure
- Stitch marker for tracking rounds and pattern repeats
Pattern Difficulty and Suitability
Classified as an intermediate project, the Pillsbury hat assumes knitters possess foundational skills including casting on, working in stockinette stitch, and managing stitches across circular needles. The pattern introduces crown shaping techniques that require attention to decreases and stitch management as the circumference reduces toward the top. This project provides an excellent opportunity for knitters to develop proficiency with circular needles and in-the-round construction while creating a practical, wearable garment.
```Specifications
| Brand: | Independent Designer |
| Designer: | Erin Birnel |
| Craft: | Knitting |
| Format: | Downloadable PDF |
| Languages: | English |
| Number of Patterns: | 1 |
| Skill Level: | Intermediate |
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