Pistachio Hat

Pistachio Hat by Teti's Knit Garden

What is Being Made

The Pistachio Hat is a knitted beanie-style hat designed by Teti's Knit Garden. This downloadable PDF pattern creates a finished hat measuring 21 cm (8 inches) from the turned-up edge to the crown, with a folded brim depth of 6.5 cm (2.9 inches). The design includes a coordinating pompom measuring 6.5 cm (2.9 inches) in diameter. The pattern is available in two size options: XS-S with a head circumference of 48-54 cm (18-22 inches), and M-L with a head circumference of 54-60 cm (22-24 inches).

Techniques Used

The Pistachio Hat employs several fundamental knitting techniques suitable for beginner-level crafters. The pattern begins with a ribbed brim worked flat, using a slip stitch edge and alternating purl and knit stitches to create texture and elasticity. After the brim is completed, the work is joined in the round, requiring careful attention to avoid twisting the cast-on edge. A stitch marker is used to denote the beginning of the round. The hat body transitions to circular knitting and incorporates fair isle colorwork, a stranded knitting technique where multiple yarn colors are carried across the row to create a patterned design. The fair isle section is worked from a chart, reading from right to left and bottom to top, allowing crafters to follow the color placement visually.

Stitches Used

The pattern utilizes basic knitting stitches accessible to beginners. The brim features a slip stitch selvage edge combined with alternating knit and purl stitches to create a 1x1 ribbed texture. The body section uses knit stitches worked in the round, with the fair isle pattern created by knitting with different colored yarns according to the provided chart. The pattern assumes familiarity with joining work in the round and reading colorwork charts.

Materials and Tools

The Pistachio Hat is designed to be worked with Drops Nepal yarn or any similar non-superwash yarn with comparable gauge. Drops Nepal is a wool and alpaca blend containing 65% wool and 35% alpaca, with a yardage of 75 meters per 50-gram ball. The pattern requires yarn in four colors: approximately 80 grams of the main color (Color 1), under 30 grams of a second shade (Color 2), under 10 grams of a third shade (Color 3), and under 2 grams of a fourth accent color (Color 4). The pattern specifies three shades of grey from the Drops Nepal range as the designer's choice. Two needle sizes are required: smaller needles for the brim ribbing and 4.5 mm (US 7) needles for the hat body. The yarn weight is classified as aran, heavy worsted, or worsted, making this an ideal project for crafters seeking a quick-knit accessory with visual interest.

Pattern Difficulty

This pattern is rated as beginner-level, making it an excellent introduction to colorwork knitting. While the fair isle technique may be new to some knitters, the pattern's straightforward construction and clear charting support skill development without overwhelming complexity.