Tailgate Mountain Hat in Schachenmayr Lova Fan

Tailgate Mountain Hat in Schachenmayr Lova Fan – Free Knitting Pattern Summary

What You Are Making

This free downloadable PDF pattern guides you through knitting the Tailgate Mountain Hat, a cozy, chunky beanie designed to fit a head circumference of 50–52 cm (approximately 19.5–20.5 inches) with a finished height of 27 cm (approximately 10.5 inches). The hat is worked in the round from the brim upward and is finished with a generous 8 cm pompom sewn to the crown, giving it a playful, mountain-ready look. A My Mountain fabric label is also attached to the lower brim edge as a finishing detail, adding a polished, boutique feel to the completed piece.

Materials Required

• Yarn: 160 g (2 balls) of Schachenmayr original Lova Fan in Green-Gold, colour 00090. This is a super chunky weight yarn with a multicolour gradient effect. When joining a new ball, the pattern advises paying close attention to the colour gradient and unwinding the yarn to the desired colour point before beginning, ensuring a smooth and intentional colour transition throughout the hat.
• Needles: A Milward circular needle, 5 mm, 40 cm long, or a Milward double-pointed needle set, 5 mm. Circular needles are ideal for working seamlessly in the round, while double-pointed needles become especially useful when decreasing stitches toward the crown where the stitch count becomes too small for a circular needle.
• Notions: A blunt-tipped tapestry needle (wool needle without a point) for weaving in ends and sewing on the pompom, plus a My Mountain fabric label for finishing.

Tension and Gauge

The pattern specifies a gauge of 13 stitches and 24 rounds = 10 x 10 cm, measured using 5 mm needles worked in Seed Stitch (Perlmuster). Achieving the correct gauge is important for matching the stated finished dimensions. If your tension differs, the pattern recommends adjusting to thicker or thinner needles accordingly. Always knit a gauge swatch before beginning to avoid sizing issues.

Techniques Used

• Casting on and joining in the round: 52 stitches are cast on and joined to work seamlessly in the round — a foundational circular knitting technique that eliminates seaming.
• Knitting in the round: The entire hat is worked in continuous rounds from the brim up to the crown, making it a great project for knitters looking to practise or build confidence with circular knitting.
• Increasing: A single increase is made in the first round of the Seed Stitch section, bringing the stitch count from 52 to 53 stitches. This odd stitch count is essential for the Seed Stitch pattern to work correctly in the round.
• Gathering the crown: Rather than working traditional decrease rounds, the crown is closed by cutting the yarn, threading it twice through the remaining live stitches, and pulling tight — a quick and effective finishing method common in chunky hat patterns.
• Pompom making: An 8 cm diameter pompom is handcrafted and sewn to the crown tip, a classic embellishment for winter hats.
• Weaving in ends: All yarn tails are neatly woven in on the inside of the hat for a clean finish.

Stitches Used

• Rib Stitch (Bundmuster) — 2x2 Ribbing: The brim is worked over 12 rounds in a 2 knit, 2 purl alternating rib. Ribbing is highly elastic and hugs the head snugly, keeping the hat in place and providing a neat, structured lower edge.
• Seed Stitch (Perlmuster): The main body of the hat above the brim is worked in Seed Stitch, which alternates knit and purl stitches in a specific two-round repeat. Round 1