Spun

Spun Hat by Kali Sierra Berg

What is Being Made

Spun is a downloadable knitting pattern for a hat designed by Kali Sierra Berg of IsolaHandmade. This beginner-friendly hat pattern is sized to fit head circumferences between 19 and 22 inches, making it suitable for a range of adult and older child sizes. The finished hat showcases classic hat construction techniques using circular needles and double-pointed needles.

Knitting Techniques Used

The Spun hat pattern employs fundamental knitting techniques appropriate for beginners looking to expand their skills. The pattern utilizes circular needle knitting for the main body of the hat, which allows for seamless, in-the-round construction. As the crown shaping progresses and stitches decrease, the pattern transitions to double-pointed needles (DPNs) to manage the smaller circumference. This transition from circular needles to DPNs is a standard technique in hat knitting that prevents stitches from slipping off the needles during the final decreases.

Stitches and Stitch Techniques

The Spun pattern incorporates several key stitches and techniques:

• Ribbing - The pattern features ribbed sections, which are measured at a gauge of 4.5 stitches per inch. Ribbing creates vertical columns of texture that provide stretch and structure to the hat.
• Right Twist (RT) - A decorative twisted stitch created by inserting the right needle into the front loop of the second stitch on the left needle, wrapping yarn knitwise, and pulling through without slipping the stitch off. The skipped stitch is then knit through the front loop before both stitches are removed from the needle. This creates a subtle textured detail.
• Knit Two Together (K2tog) - A right-leaning decrease used for crown shaping to gradually reduce the stitch count as the hat tapers toward the top.
• Make One Left (M1L) - An increase technique that lifts the strand between two stitches and knits into the back loop, used for shaping increases when needed in the pattern.

Materials Required

The Spun hat pattern calls for approximately 150 yards of worsted weight yarn. The pattern specifically recommends worsted weight wool, with Malabrigo Merino Worsted cited as an example yarn choice. Worsted weight yarn (also known as aran weight in some regions) is a medium-weight yarn that works up quickly while providing good stitch definition.

Essential notions and tools include US 6 and US 9 circular needles in 16-inch length for the main body knitting, along with a set of US 9 double-pointed needles (either 4 or 5 needles) for the crown decreases. Additional supplies needed are 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 rounds.

Pattern Summary

The Spun hat is an ideal beginner knitting project that teaches essential hat construction skills including gauge measurement, circular knitting, ribbed stitch work, and the transition from circular needles to double-pointed needles. The pattern's straightforward construction and moderate yardage requirement make it an accessible introduction to in-the-round hat knitting using worsted weight yarn.