894 Propolis - Hat Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Valley Superwash Super Bulky or Becket

894 Propolis - Honeycomb Knit Hat Pattern by Julie Turjoman

Project Overview

The 894 Propolis is a women's knit hat featuring a distinctive honeycomb colorwork pattern. Designed by Julie Turjoman, this intermediate-level project works up quickly in super bulky yarn, making it an ideal choice for knitters seeking a fast, satisfying project or a thoughtful last-minute gift. The pattern offers three finished sizes with options to work in either Valley Yarns Valley Superwash Super Bulky or Becket yarn.

What You'll Make

A cozy, seamless knit hat with slip-stitch colorwork detailing. The finished circumference measurements are available in three sizes: Small (17 ⅓"), Medium (20"), and Large (22 ½") when worked in Valley Superwash Super Bulky, or Small (17 ¾"), Medium (21 ¼"), and Large (23") when worked in Becket. The hat is shown in size Medium in the pattern photography.

Knitting Techniques

• Seamless construction: The hat is worked in the round, eliminating the need for seaming and creating a polished, professional finish
• Bottom-up construction: Knitting begins at the brim and progresses upward toward the crown
• Slip-stitch colorwork: An accessible introduction to two-color knitting that creates the honeycomb pattern without the complexity of stranded colorwork
• Smaller needle sizing: The pattern uses needles smaller than typical for the yarn weight to achieve extra density, resulting in a warmer, more structured hat

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The pattern employs slip-stitch colorwork techniques to create the honeycomb motif. This method involves slipping stitches in one color while working with another, building the pattern gradually without managing multiple yarn strands simultaneously. This approach makes the pattern suitable for intermediate knitters who may be new to colorwork.

Yarn Options and Materials

Valley Superwash Super Bulky Option: This version requires 2 skeins of main color (MC) in Classic Navy and 1 skein of contrasting color (CC) in Natural. Each skein of Valley Yarns Valley Superwash Super Bulky contains 100 grams and 55 yards, and is composed of 100% Superwash Wool, making it machine-washable and practical for everyday wear.

Becket Option: This alternative requires 1 skein each of main color in Bear and contrasting color in Campfire. Valley Yarns Becket skeins contain 100 grams and 141 yards per skein, and blend 50% Superfine Alpaca with 50% Wool, offering a luxurious feel and excellent warmth-to-weight ratio.

Needles: US size 1 needles are specified for the Valley Superwash Super Bulky version, sized down from what would typically be used with this yarn weight to create the desired density.

Difficulty Level

Rated as intermediate, this pattern assumes knitters are comfortable with basic techniques including working in the round and reading pattern instructions. The slip-stitch colorwork provides an excellent stepping stone for knitters expanding their skills into two-color knitting without the technical demands of more complex colorwork methods.