Plume

Plume Hat by IsolaHandmade

What Is Being Made

Plume is a knitted hat pattern designed by Kali S. Berg of IsolaHandmade. This intermediate-level project creates a fitted hat suitable for head circumferences between 19 and 22 inches. The design features a distinctive lace panel element that gives the hat its name, inspired by the delicate appearance of ostrich plumes.

Craft and Techniques

This is a knitting project worked primarily in the round using circular needles. The pattern employs several key knitting techniques that make it suitable for intermediate-level crafters:

• Circular knitting: The hat is constructed seamlessly in the round, which eliminates the need for seaming and creates a smooth, professional finish
• Ribbed cuffs: The lower portion uses knit and purl ribbing to create elasticity and a fitted edge that hugs the head
• Lace work: The Ostrich Plume Lace Panel is the signature design element, incorporating yarn overs and decreases to create an open, decorative pattern
• Gauge work: Achieving the correct gauge of 4.5 stitches per inch in ribbing is essential for proper fit
• Decreasing: The pattern uses specialized decrease techniques including centered decreases (CD) and knit-four-together stitches (K4tog) to shape the crown

Stitches Used

The Plume pattern incorporates a variety of fundamental and intermediate stitches:

• Knit (K): The basic stitch used throughout the pattern
• Purl (P): Used in ribbing and the lace panel for texture and pattern definition
• Yarn over (YO): Creates the openwork characteristic of lace by bringing yarn to the front and over the needle before knitting the next stitch
• Centered decrease (CD): A symmetric decrease worked by slipping 2 stitches as if to knit, knitting 1, then passing the slipped stitches over the knit stitch
• Knit four together (K4tog): A more aggressive decrease that combines four stitches into one through the front loops
• K2, P2 ribbing: The alternating knit and purl pattern that forms the elastic cuff

Materials and Needles

The Plume hat requires a modest amount of yarn and a specific needle set to achieve the correct gauge and construction:

• Yarn: Approximately 150 yards of worsted weight wool (classified as aran weight in standard yarn weight systems). This yardage is sufficient for the entire hat and allows for a small margin
• Circular needles: US 6 (4mm) and US 8 (5mm) in 16-inch length. The smaller needles are used for the ribbed cuff to create a tighter gauge, while the larger needles accommodate the increased stitch count in the lace panel section
• Double-pointed needles (DPNs): US 8 (5mm) in a set of 4 or 5, used for the final crown decreases when the stitch count becomes too small for circular needles
• Additional notions: A measuring tape for checking gauge and fit, a darning needle for weaving in ends, scissors, and a stitch marker to denote the beginning of each round

Pattern Overview

The Plume pattern begins with a long-tail cast-on of 88 stitches on US 6 needles, which are then joined to work in the round. The first three inches are worked in K2, P2 ribbing, which creates an elastic, fitted edge. After the ribbing section, 10 stitches are increased evenly across the round, bringing the total to 98 stitches. The needles are then switched to US 8, and the Ostrich Plume Lace Panel begins. This lace section forms the main body of the hat, with its combination of knit, purl, and yarn-over stitches creating an elegant, openwork design. The crown is shaped using the specialized decrease techniques mentioned above, gradually reducing the stitch count until all stitches can be closed off, completing the hat.