La Sororité Hat

La Sororité Hat by Kate Oates

What is Being Made

The La Sororité Hat is a slouchy knit cap designed by Kate Oates as an independent designer project. This downloadable PDF pattern creates a relaxed-fit hat that pairs with the coordinating two-color cowl design. The hat is worked in the round from the bottom up, resulting in a finished garment with a comfortable, loose silhouette ideal for casual wear.

Yarn and Materials

This pattern is worked using 4-ply yarn weight, with a unique construction technique that holds two different yarns together simultaneously throughout the project. This dual-yarn approach creates a distinctive halo effect rather than traditional color striping. The pattern requires standard knitting needles appropriate for 4-ply weight yarn, along with a stitch marker for tracking rounds worked in the round.

Techniques and Construction

The La Sororité Hat employs a bottom-up circular knitting construction method. The garment begins with a cast-on of either 99, 110, or 121 stitches depending on desired size, then is joined to work in continuous rounds. The two-yarn holding technique is maintained throughout, creating visual depth and texture without relying on color changes between rounds. This approach produces a cohesive, blended appearance while adding subtle dimension to the finished hat.

Stitch Patterns

The hat features two primary stitch patterns that work together to create its distinctive character:

• Twisted Ribbed Brim: The bottom edge of the hat is finished with a twisted rib pattern worked over an even number of stitches. This brim is created by alternating knit-through-the-back-loop (K1TBL) stitches with purl stitches in every round, written as *K1TBL, p1; rep from * around. The twisted knit stitch creates a subtle texture that differs from standard ribbing and adds visual interest to the brim edge.
• Diagonal Eyelet Pattern: Above the ribbed brim, the main body of the hat features a diagonal eyelet texture pattern worked over a multiple of 11 stitches. This pattern alternates between two rounds: Round 1 combines a slip-knit-pass decrease (SKP), six knit stitches, a yarn over (YO) for the eyelet opening, and three purl stitches; Round 2 is worked with eight knit stitches followed by three purl stitches. This two-round repeat creates a diagonal line of small openings that add visual movement and breathability to the slouchy cap.

Difficulty Level and Pattern Format

The La Sororité Hat is rated as intermediate difficulty and is specifically designed for adventurous beginning knitters who are ready to follow an easy written stitch pattern. While the construction uses straightforward techniques, the combination of holding two yarns together and working with eyelet decreases and yarn overs provides a gentle introduction to more advanced stitch work. The pattern is provided as a downloadable PDF format, allowing crafters to access instructions digitally. This pattern is designed for personal use only and is protected by copyright to Kate Oates, 2019.