The Harring Hat

The Herring Hat: Intermediate Knit Design

What is Being Made

The Herring Hat is an adult-sized knitted hat designed by Natalia Gracheva and published by OneWoolySkein. This intermediate-level knitting project creates a finished hat with a circumference of 50 cm that stretches up to 56-57 cm, fitting head sizes 21" to 22" (53-56 cm). The hat features approximately 10 inches (24 cm) in height and showcases a striking two-color knit design using contrasting yarn colors.

Techniques and Construction Methods

This pattern employs two-color knitting techniques to create visual interest and pattern definition. The design utilizes decreasing methods to shape the crown and achieve the finished hat structure. Knitters will work in the round, which is a common construction method for seamless hat knitting that eliminates the need for seaming. The pattern incorporates strategic color changes and stitch manipulations to build the distinctive herring pattern throughout the garment.

Stitches Used

The Herring Hat pattern employs several fundamental knitting stitches and techniques:

• Knit (k) - the basic knit stitch that forms the foundation of the fabric
• Purl (p) - the reverse of the knit stitch, used for textural variation
• K2tog (knit 2 together) - a right-leaning decrease used to reduce stitches, particularly in crown shaping
• SSK (slip, slip, knit) - a left-leaning decrease that provides balanced shaping
• M1 (make one) - an increase stitch for adding stitches where needed
• Place marker (pm) - a technique aid for tracking pattern repeats and round beginnings

The pattern also specifies working in Main Color (MC) and in Contrast Color (CC), with detailed instructions for color changes integrated throughout the knitting rounds.

Yarn and Materials

The Herring Hat is designed for DK weight yarn, a medium-light yarn weight ideal for creating fabric with good drape and stitch definition. The pattern specifies approximately 220 yards total yarn, divided between two contrasting colors at roughly 50g (110 yards/100 meters) of each color.

The original pattern recommends specific yarn choices: Thorobred Machine Wash 8 ply in 100% wool for the main color (light gray, #2402) and Heirloom Merino Fleck 8 ply in 100% pure wool for the contrast color (dark blue, #550). Both yarns are 50g skeins with yardage between 110-115 yards per 100 meters. However, the pattern notes that any wool yarn in DK weight may be substituted in two contrasting colors, providing flexibility for yarn selection while maintaining the intended fabric characteristics.

Knitters will need US circular needles (size not fully specified in provided content) to work this project in the round, which is the standard needle choice for seamless hat construction.