Tassel Fun Decorated Cap – Lion Brand Homespun Knit Hat Pattern (50183-4)
This Tassel Fun Decorated Cap is a free, downloadable knitting pattern from Lion Brand that produces a cozy, decorative knit hat finished with a striking ribbon band and a bold, colorful tassel. Rated Easy skill level, it is an ideal project for knitters who are comfortable with basic techniques and ready to add a fun, eye-catching embellishment to a classic cap. The finished hat measures 20 inches in circumference, making it a one-size design suited to most adults.
What Is Being Made
The project is a knitted cap — a snug, wearable hat worked in the round on a circular needle. What sets this hat apart from a plain beanie is its decorative finishing: a ribbon-style band created using Lion Brand Incredible yarn, which has a distinctive ribbon-like, multi-colored texture, plus a tassel made from the same Incredible yarn attached at the crown. The combination of the rich, textured Lion Brand Homespun body with the vibrant Incredible accent gives the hat a festive, dimensional look.
Materials Used
- Lion Brand Homespun® in Baroque (color 790-322) – 1 skein; used for the main body of the hat. Homespun is a bulky-weight yarn with a soft, chenille-like texture that knits up quickly and warmly.
- Lion Brand Incredible® in Purple Party (color 520-207) – 1 skein; used for the decorative ribbon band and tassel. Incredible is a novelty ribbon yarn that adds color, sheen, and visual interest without requiring complex stitch work.
- Size 10 (6 mm) 16-inch circular needle – used for knitting the hat body in the round.
- Lion Brand Stitch Markers – used to mark the beginning of rounds.
- Large-Eye Blunt Needles (set of 6) – used for seaming and weaving in ends.
Gauge
The pattern calls for a gauge of 14 stitches and 20 rows over 4 inches in Stockinette stitch, knitting every round. Checking gauge before beginning is strongly recommended to ensure the hat reaches the correct 20-inch circumference.
Techniques Used
- Knitting in the round on a 16-inch circular needle — the primary construction method for the hat body, producing seamless Stockinette fabric.
- Flat knitting — the hem section is worked flat (back and forth in rows) before joining to work in the round.
- Increasing (knit into front and back / KFB) — used during the hem construction to shape the brim. The pattern uses a specific increase row repeated multiple times to expand stitch count from 24 stitches up to 70 stitches.
- Casting on mid-row — additional stitches are cast on partway through the hem shaping to build out the full stitch count for joining in the round.
- Stitch marker placement — markers are placed to track the beginning of rounds when transitioning to circular knitting.
- Tassel making — a decorative tassel is constructed from Lion Brand Incredible Purple Party yarn and attached to the crown of the finished hat.
- Ribbon band application — the Incredible yarn is used to create a decorative band around the hat, taking advantage of the yarn's ribbon-like appearance to mimic a woven trim.
Stitches Used
- Stockinette stitch (St st) — worked by knitting every round when working in the round; forms the smooth, classic V-stitch fabric of the hat body.
- Purl rows — used during the flat hem section to create the reverse side of Stockinette and to help shape the brim.
- Knit into front and back (KFB) — the increase stitch used repeatedly in the hem shaping rows.
Skill Level and Project Notes
Classified as Easy
Specifications
| Brand: | Lion Brand |
| Featured Products: | Lion Brand Homespun |
| Craft: | Knitting |
| Format: | Downloadable PDF |
| Languages: | English |
| Number of Patterns: | 1 |