Rise Up Beanie

Rise Up Beanie by Shannon Larson

What Is Being Made

The Rise Up Beanie is a beginner-friendly knitted hat designed by Shannon Larson of Justlivin Designs. This project creates a classic, everyday beanie suitable for various head sizes, with options for small, medium, and large fits. The hat features a ribbed brim and a charted stitch pattern in the body, making it an accessible introduction to colorwork or textured knitting for newer knitters.

Knitting Techniques Used

This pattern employs fundamental knitting techniques appropriate for beginners. The hat is worked in the round using circular needles, which is a core skill for hat construction. The project begins with a cast-on and ribbed brim section, then transitions to the body where a chart or written stitch instructions guide the pattern repeat. The pattern uses a stitch marker to denote the beginning of round (BOR), helping knitters maintain their place during circular knitting. Decreases are worked to shape the crown, though specific decrease instructions are referenced in the full pattern chart.

Stitches and Stitch Details

The Rise Up Beanie uses a k3p3 rib for the brim section, which creates an elastic, textured edge that helps the hat stay in place. The ribbed brim is worked for 4 to 4.5 inches depending on size. The body features a charted stitch pattern that spans 24 rounds, with 17 stitches forming the main pattern repeat. Knitters work the chart pattern over these 17 stitches while knitting the remaining stitches in stockinette stitch (knit every round) to complete each round. This combination of patterned and solid sections creates visual interest while keeping the overall construction manageable for beginners.

Materials and Yarn Requirements

The Rise Up Beanie requires 1 skein of worsted weight yarn totaling 200 to 210 yards. The sample shown uses two different yarns: Magpie Fibers Nest in 'Midnight Beaver' (dark brown) for the brim, requiring 145 yards, and Harrisville Designs Highland in 'Ebony' (black) for the body, requiring 165 yards. This two-yarn approach allows for creative color blocking, though a single yarn could be substituted if preferred. Worsted weight yarn is a medium thickness that works up quickly and is forgiving for new knitters.

Needles and Tools

The pattern calls for US #6/4.0mm 16-inch circular needles for the ribbed brim section and US #7/4.5mm needles for the body. The US #7/4.5mm needles are available in both 16-inch circular and double-pointed needle (dpn) formats, with the dpns used for the crown decreases when the stitch count becomes too small for circular needles. Additional tools include a stitch marker to denote the beginning of round and a darning needle for weaving in ends.

Gauge and Sizing

The pattern is designed to achieve a gauge of 20 stitches and 24 rounds over 4 inches (10 cm) in stockinette stitch using the US #7/4.5mm needles. Three sizes are provided with cast-on counts of 90, 96, and 102 stitches, accommodating small, medium, and large head sizes respectively. The finished hat length varies by size, measuring 8 inches, 8.5 inches, or 9 inches before the crown shaping is complete. Proper gauge is essential for achieving the correct fit, making this a good opportunity for beginners to practice gauge swatching.