Icelandia Hat

Icelandia Hat by Lena Mathisson

What Is Being Made

The Icelandia Hat is a knitted hat designed by Lena Mathisson, available in five sizes to fit children through adults of various sizes. The finished circumference ranges from 16 inches (40 cm) for children up to 24 inches (60 cm) for adult extra large, with heights ranging from 7.5 inches (19 cm) to 9.5 inches (25 cm). This hat is designed to be worn with 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) of negative ease, meaning the finished hat should be smaller than the wearer's actual head circumference for an optimal fit.

Knitting Techniques Used

The Icelandia Hat features colorwork knitting, which is a technique that incorporates multiple colors into the fabric by carrying yarn across the back of the work. An important characteristic of colorwork knitting is that it naturally draws the stitches closer together compared to single-color stockinette stitch. In this particular design, the colorwork creates a noticeable horizontal contraction of the fabric. To illustrate this effect: when worked in single-color stockinette stitch with the specified yarn and needle size, the gauge would be 24 stitches and 28 rows per 4 inches (10 cm), but the colorwork pattern achieves a gauge of 32 stitches and 28 rows per 4 inches (10 cm). This means the colorwork pulls in the width significantly while maintaining consistent row gauge.

Because colorwork affects stitch gauge, knitters are strongly advised to work a gauge swatch in the round using the colorwork pattern before beginning the hat. This ensures the finished hat will fit as intended and accounts for individual tension variations in colorwork knitting.

Stitches Used

While the pattern details are not fully specified in the provided information, the Icelandia Hat is constructed using stockinette stitch as the base fabric, with a colorwork pattern integrated throughout. The colorwork technique involves knitting with multiple colors in the same row, creating a patterned fabric. The pattern is worked in the round, which is the standard method for hat construction as it eliminates the need for seaming.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Icelandia Hat is designed to be worked with 4-ply yarn, which is a medium-weight yarn suitable for creating garments with good drape and structure. The pattern specifies a gauge of 32 stitches and 28 rows to 4 inches (10 cm) in pattern, which will guide knitters in selecting appropriately sized needles. Since the hat is worked in the round, circular needles or double-pointed needles in the correct size for this yarn weight and gauge are required. The exact needle size is not specified in the provided information, but knitters should select needles that achieve the stated gauge with their chosen yarn.

Difficulty Level

The Icelandia Hat is rated as a beginner-level knitting project. However, knitters new to colorwork should be prepared to learn this technique, as it requires managing multiple yarn colors and maintaining even tension across color changes. Despite the colorwork element, the overall construction and shaping of the hat are straightforward enough for those beginning their knitting journey.