Beau Cloche

Beau Cloche by Natalie Larson

What Is Being Made

The Beau Cloche is a knitted cloche hat designed by Natalie Larson. This hat features a sweet and slightly slouchy silhouette, perfect for fall and winter wear. The design is distinguished by an oversized but refined bow embellishment that adorns the hat, creating an elegant and vintage-inspired accessory. The cloche style evokes classic 1920s-inspired millinery with a modern, approachable construction.

Techniques Used

This advanced-level knitting project employs several intermediate to advanced techniques that build upon fundamental knitting skills:

• Provisional Cast-On: The pattern begins with a provisional cast-on method, which allows stitches to be picked up later for seamless construction or joining
• Increasing and Decreasing: Shaping techniques are used throughout to create the hat's contoured silhouette and crown shaping
• Picking Up Stitches: This technique is employed to add new sections, particularly for the bow construction
• Kitchener Stitch: Also known as grafting, this technique creates seamless joins between live stitches, essential for finishing the hat with a polished appearance
• Circular and Double-Pointed Needle Work: The pattern accommodates both circular needles and DPNs, with DPNs noted as potentially easier for working the crown decreases

Stitches Used

The Beau Cloche employs fundamental knitting stitches combined in structured patterns:

• Knit Stitch: The primary stitch forming the base fabric
• Purl Stitch: Used in combination with knit stitches to create textured ribbing and pattern definition
• Ribbed Patterns: Alternating knit and purl stitches create elastic ribbing, particularly evident in the brim construction where the pattern shows slip stitch selvage edges combined with knit-purl alternation

Materials and Yarn Requirements

The Beau Cloche requires approximately 200 yards of light worsted weight yarn. The pattern specifies the yarn used in the sample: Kenzie by Hikoo by Skacel Collection, which is a 160-yard/50-gram skein shown in color #1002. This yardage and weight provide appropriate drape and structure for a cloche hat that maintains its shape while allowing for the slightly slouchy silhouette.

Needles and Notions

The pattern calls for two needle sizes to create proper gauge and structure:

• US 4 / 3.5 mm needles: Used for the initial brim and ribbed sections where a tighter gauge is desired
• US 6 / 4 mm needles: Used for the main body of the hat to create appropriate drape
• Needle Format Options: Both circular needles and double-pointed needles (DPNs) are suitable; the designer used circular needles throughout but notes that DPNs may make working the crown decreases easier
• Additional Notions: Six stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and shaping points, plus a darning needle for weaving in ends and potentially for the Kitchener stitch grafting

Pattern Structure and Difficulty

Classified as an advanced knitting project, the Beau Cloche is suitable for experienced knitters comfortable with multiple techniques. The pattern begins with the brim, which features a provisional cast-on and ribbed construction created through slip-stitch selvage edges combined with alternating knit and purl stitches. The progression through increasing, shaping, and decreasing techniques, culminating in Kitchener stitch finishing, makes this an excellent project for knitters looking to refine their technical skills while creating a wearable, fashionable accessory.