Sunshine hat

Sunshine Hat by Loulalalou

What Is Being Made

The Sunshine hat is a knitted women's hat designed by independent designer Loulalalou. This finished hat is sized to fit an average woman's head with a circumference of 55 cm (unstretched at the ribbing) and a depth of 23 cm, creating a classic, close-fitting knit hat suitable for everyday wear.

Knitting Techniques Used

This advanced-level knitting project employs several key techniques to create its structure and visual interest. The pattern utilizes circular knitting worked in the round using circular needles, which eliminates the need for seaming and creates seamless construction. The hat features color work incorporating four distinct yarn colors—Natural dove, Natural stone, Natural charcoal, and Hot stuff—which are worked together to create the design. Crown decreases are strategically placed and marked with stitch markers to shape the top of the hat, with the pattern noting that using different colored markers for the round beginning and the four decrease points helps with pattern tracking. The construction progresses from the ribbed cuff upward to the crown shaping.

Stitches Used

The Sunshine hat pattern employs fundamental knitting stitches executed with precision. Stockinette stitch forms the primary fabric, created by alternating knit and purl rows (or knit rounds when working circularly), producing the smooth, classic knit texture. The pattern also incorporates ribbing at the cuff for elasticity and fit. Knit two together (k2tog) decreases are used at the crown to gradually reduce stitches and shape the hat's top.

Materials and Tools

This pattern calls for pure Shetland wool from Gathered Sheep Yarns in a 4-ply weight, though any super fine or 4-ply yarn may be substituted. The yardage requirements are modest: approximately 65 meters of Natural dove, 50 meters each of Natural stone and Hot stuff, and 40 meters of Natural charcoal. The pattern specifies US size 2 (2.75 mm) circular needles measuring 16 inches long for the ribbed cuff and US size 2.5 (3 mm) circular needles of the same length for the main body, allowing for the slight gauge adjustment between ribbing and stockinette. Additional tools include five stitch markers, a tapestry needle for weaving in ends, and a working gauge of 30 stitches and 32 rows per 10 centimeters in stockinette stitch.