Extra Slouch Hat in Blue Sky Fibers - T19 - Downloadable PDF

Extra Slouch Hat in Blue Sky Fibers – Pattern T19

This downloadable PDF knitting pattern, part of the Traveler's Series and designed by Jane Richmond, guides knitters through creating a generously slouchy, extra-warm hat using Blue Sky Alpacas Extra yarn. The design is rated beginner difficulty, making it an ideal first hat project for those new to knitting in the round, while still offering enough textural interest to keep experienced knitters engaged. The finished hat features a deep, relaxed slouch and a richly ribbed body that transitions into a neatly shaped crown.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a single extra-slouch hat — a style known for its generous, billowing crown that sits loosely on the head and drapes slightly to one side or the back. The deep body of the hat, measuring 8 inches from the cast-on edge before crown shaping begins, provides exceptional coverage and warmth. The colorway shown in the pattern photography is North Atlantic #3515, a rich blue tone that highlights the textural stitch pattern beautifully.

Materials Used

• Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Extra — 1 hank (150g / 218 yards), an aran weight yarn celebrated for its plush, warm alpaca content and substantial heft
• Needles: Size 9 (5.5mm) 16-inch circular needle, or size needed to obtain gauge
• Needles: Size 9 (5.5mm) double pointed needles (dpns), or size needed to obtain gauge
• Notions: Tapestry needle for finishing, stitch marker for beginning of round

The aran weight of Blue Sky Alpacas Extra means the hat knits up quickly on size 9 needles, making it a satisfying one-skein project that can be completed in just a few evenings. Alpaca fiber is prized for its exceptional softness against the skin, its natural warmth, and its subtle sheen — qualities that make this hat both practical and luxurious.

Techniques Used

• Knitting in the round on a 16-inch circular needle, transitioning to double pointed needles as the crown decreases reduce the stitch count
• Cast on and joining in the round — the hat begins with 84 stitches cast on and joined carefully to avoid twisting
• Ribbing in the round using the Mistake Rib stitch pattern throughout the body
• Crown shaping through a series of structured decrease rounds that taper the hat from 84 stitches down to just 6 stitches over 12 rounds
• Finishing by threading the yarn tail through remaining live stitches with a tapestry needle and drawing closed

Stitches Used

The body of the hat is worked in the Mistake Rib stitch pattern, a cleverly named and visually appealing variation on standard ribbing. It is worked over an even number of stitches across two alternating rounds:

• Round 1: *k1, p1; repeat from * to end of round — a standard 1x1 rib
• Round 2: Knit all stitches — creating the characteristic "mistake" offset that gives the rib its distinctive, slightly irregular texture

The Mistake Rib creates a fabric that is stretchier and more visually interesting than plain 1x1 ribbing, with a subtle broken-rib appearance that adds depth without complexity. It is an excellent stitch for beginners to practice knit and purl combinations in the round.

The crown shaping section introduces several decrease stitches worked in a precise sequence to create a smooth, even taper:

• ssk (slip, slip, knit): A left-leaning decrease worked by slipping two stitches knitwise individually, then inserting the left needle through the front of both slipped stitches and knitting them together
• k2tog (knit two together): A right-leaning decrease that pairs with ssk to create symmetrical shaping on either side of each decrease panel
• sk2