Hip Slouch Hat in Lion Brand Landscapes - L40743B - Downloadable PDF

Hip Slouch Hat in Lion Brand Landscapes – Free Knitting Pattern L40743B

This free downloadable knitting pattern from Lion Brand Yarn guides knitters through creating a relaxed, oversized slouch hat with a stylish, laid-back silhouette. Known as the Hip Slouch Hat, this design is worked entirely in the round as a single seamless piece, making it an approachable project for knitters who have moved beyond the basics and are comfortable with circular needles and simple shaping techniques.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is an adult-sized slouch hat available in two sizes. The finished circumference measures approximately 17½ inches (44.5 cm) or 20½ inches (52 cm), and the pattern notes that the hat will stretch to fit a range of head sizes thanks to the natural elasticity of knitted fabric worked in stockinette stitch. The finished height is approximately 12 inches (30.5 cm), giving it that characteristic slouchy, voluminous drape at the crown that makes this style so popular. The hat is worked in one seamless piece from the cast-on edge to the crown, with no seaming required at the finish.

Difficulty Level and Sizing

The pattern is rated Easy (Level 2) by Lion Brand, making it well suited to knitters who are comfortable with basic techniques but may not yet have tackled complex colorwork or intricate stitch patterns. The pattern is written for the smaller size, with changes for the larger size noted in parentheses throughout. Knitters are encouraged to circle all numbers pertaining to their chosen size before beginning to make following the instructions more straightforward.

Techniques Used

• Knitting in the round – The entire hat is worked circularly on a 16-inch circular needle, eliminating the need for seams and creating a smooth, continuous fabric.
• Joining in the round – Stitches are cast on and carefully joined without twisting, a foundational circular knitting technique.
• Crown shaping with decreases – The hat is shaped at the crown using a knit 2 together (k2tog) decrease round, which reduces the stitch count by half in a single pass to draw the top of the hat closed.
• Gauge swatching – The pattern emphasizes the importance of matching gauge before beginning, noting that needle size may need to be adjusted based on individual tension.
• Stitch marker placement – A marker is placed at the beginning of the round to track progress throughout the circular knitting process.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette Stitch in the Round (St st) – Because the hat is worked circularly, stockinette is achieved by knitting every round. This produces the classic smooth, V-shaped knit stitch on the right side of the fabric, giving the hat a clean and polished appearance.
• Knit 2 Together (k2tog) – A right-leaning decrease stitch used in the crown shaping round to reduce stitches evenly and close the top of the hat.

Materials and Yarn

The pattern calls for one ball of Lion Brand Landscapes (Article #545) in the colorway Fuchsia. Lion Brand Landscapes is a 100% acrylic yarn with an aran weight, packaged in a 3.50 oz / 100 g pull skein containing approximately 147 yards (134 m). The acrylic fiber content makes this yarn easy to care for, colorfast, and widely accessible, while the aran weight provides the cozy, substantial fabric appropriate for a warm winter hat.

The gauge for this pattern is 16 stitches = approximately 4 inches (10 cm) in stockinette stitch worked in the round. Achieving this gauge is important for ensuring the hat reaches the intended circumference and fits as described.

Needles and Notions

• Boye Aluminum Circular Knitting Needles, 16 inches, Size 9 (5.5 mm) – The 16-inch cable length is ideal for knitting adult hat circumferences in the round without the fabric becoming too stretched or too bunched on the needle.
• Lion Brand Split Ring Stitch Markers – Used to mark the beginning of each round.