Drifty Hat

Drifty Hat by Mandy Spoth

What is Being Made

The Drifty Hat is a knitted winter hat featuring a blizzard-inspired design with snowflake motifs and a decorative birdie element. This downloadable PDF pattern from independent designer Mandy Spoth offers versatility with two distinct versions: a colorwork stranded knit design and a solid single-color option. Three finished sizes are included in the pattern—Child, Medium Adult, and Large Adult—making this an inclusive design suitable for the entire family.

Knitting Techniques Used

This advanced-level knitting project employs several intermediate to advanced techniques. The hat is worked in the round using circular needles, beginning with a long-tail cast-on method. Knitters will use the increase technique of knit-front-and-back (kfb) to shape the crown during the early rounds. For the colorwork version, stranded knitting (also called fair isle) is the primary technique, requiring the knitter to carry multiple yarn colors across rounds while creating the snowflake and birdie design elements. The pattern requires switching between needle sizes during construction to achieve proper gauge and fit.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Drifty Hat utilizes fundamental knitting stitches as its foundation. The ribbing section at the brim is worked in knit stitches over five rounds, providing structure and elasticity. The main body incorporates stockinette stitch as the base fabric. Increases are worked using the knit-front-and-back method to expand stitches during shaping. The colorwork version introduces stranded knitting techniques where two or three colors are worked simultaneously in specific rounds to create the snowflake and birdie motifs, while the solid version maintains a single-color stockinette throughout.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Drifty Hat pattern calls for Lamb's Pride Bulky yarn from Brown Sheep Co., a chunky-weight yarn composed of 85% wool and 15% mohair. Each skein provides 125 yards (114 meters) and weighs 113 grams (4 ounces). For the colorwork stranded version, knitters need one skein each of three colors: M11 - White Frost (Color A), M05 - Onyx in black (Color B), and M03 - Gray Heather (Color C). The solid hat version requires one skein of M03 - Gray Heather. The pattern specifies both smaller and larger circular needles, with the smaller needle used for the initial ribbed cuff and the larger needle for the main body and colorwork sections. The cast-on begins with 64, 72, or 80 stitches depending on the chosen size, increasing to 72, 80, or 88 stitches after the shaping rounds.

Pattern Overview by Size

• Child Size: Cast on 64 stitches, increases to 72 stitches
• Medium Adult Size: Cast on 72 stitches, increases to 80 stitches
• Large Adult Size: Cast on 80 stitches, increases to 88 stitches

Design Customization Options

The Drifty Hat pattern provides flexibility for knitters of different skill levels and color preferences. The colorwork stranded version offers a visually striking design with snowflake and birdie elements worked in contrasting colors, making it an ideal project for knitters comfortable with managing multiple yarn colors. Alternatively, the solid single-color version simplifies the construction by eliminating colorwork complexity while maintaining the same hat shape and structure, making it accessible to knitters who prefer working with a single yarn throughout the project.