Tide and Pebble Hat

Tide and Pebble Hat by Shilo Weir

What Is Being Made

The Tide and Pebble Hat is a slouchy knit hat designed by independent designer Shilo Weir. This adult-sized hat features a distinctive flat crown with hidden decreases, making it a unique construction choice for knitters seeking textured, architectural headwear. The hat stretches to accommodate head circumferences between 20 and 25 inches (50.5 to 63.5 cm), with finished measurements of 19.5 inches (49.5 cm) in circumference when unstretched and 9 inches (23 cm) in height. The design was inspired by the designer's curiosity and love of texture, resulting in a comfortable, wearable slouch hat suitable for various head sizes.

Knitting Techniques and Construction

This intermediate-level knitting project employs several key techniques that make it engaging for experienced knitters. The hat is constructed in the round using circular needles and double-pointed needles, a traditional method for creating seamless cylindrical garments. The most distinctive technical feature is the flat crown with hidden decreases, which sets this design apart from standard top-down or bottom-up hat constructions. This technique creates a polished, professional finish at the crown while maintaining the slouchy silhouette. The pattern uses stitch patterns in multiples of 4, allowing for repeatable texture throughout the hat. The brim section is worked separately before transitioning to the main pattern body, providing structure and definition to the hat's opening.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Tide and Pebble Hat incorporates textured stitch patterns that create visual interest and depth. While the specific stitch abbreviations are detailed in the full pattern instructions, the design emphasizes texture as a central element. The pattern is organized in repeating multiples of 4 stitches, making it manageable for intermediate knitters to track and execute. The hidden decreases used in the crown shaping are worked strategically to maintain the pattern integrity while reducing stitches smoothly toward the top of the hat.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Tide and Pebble Hat is designed to be worked in worsted-weight yarn. The pattern specifies Malabrigo Rios, a premium yarn composed of 100% Merino wool with a yardage of 210 yards (192 meters) per 100-gram skein. The sample shown was worked in the colorway Gris.

Needle requirements include:

• US #6/4 mm circular needle, 16-inch (40-cm) length for the brim
• US #8/5 mm circular needle, 16-inch (40-cm) length for the main body
• Set of 4 or 5 US #8/5 mm double-pointed needles for crown shaping

The pattern recommends adjusting needle size as needed to achieve the correct gauge. Additional notions include 1 stitch marker and a yarn needle for weaving in ends. The gauge for this project is 20.5 stitches and 35.5 rounds per 4 inches (10 cm) when worked in pattern on the larger needles.