Urban Hunter

Urban Hunter Retro Hunter's Cap by Cheryl Andrews

What Is Being Made

The Urban Hunter is a retro-inspired knitted hunter's cap designed for warmth and vintage aesthetic appeal. This intermediate-level knitting project features a self-supporting structured brim and a distinctive double-layer earflap that offers versatility in wear—the earflap can be worn down for maximum warmth or folded up for a different look. The cap combines functional design with geometric shaping, creating a hat suitable for cold weather conditions without requiring internal support structures.

Techniques and Construction Methods

This hat employs several advanced knitting techniques to achieve its distinctive shape and structure. The brim's self-supporting form is created through a combination of geometric design principles, tight gauge knitting, and strategic double-layering—eliminating the need for cardboard or plastic reinforcement. The hat is constructed using the knit-on cast on method to begin the brim. The piece is knitted in the round, a fundamental technique for hat construction that creates seamless cylindrical sections. The check pattern is incorporated into the hat body during the knitting process, adding visual interest and texture.

Gauge manipulation plays a critical role in the cap's construction. The brim section is intentionally knitted at a tighter gauge than the hat body, which contributes to the brim's ability to hold its shape independently. After completion, the finished hat benefits from washing and blocking, which helps set the stitches and enhance the final shape and drape.

Stitches and Pattern Elements

The Urban Hunter incorporates a check pattern throughout the hat body, creating a classic plaid or checked visual effect. This pattern is worked using two colors of worsted weight yarn, allowing knitters to create contrast and depth. The construction relies on fundamental knitting stitches worked in the round, with the check pattern likely utilizing stockinette stitch as the base with color changes to create the geometric check design. The tight gauge brim section uses the same fundamental stitches but at a denser tension to achieve structural integrity.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The Urban Hunter requires worsted weight yarn in two colors. The yardage requirements are:

• Main color: approximately 2.5 ounces (120 yards) for the brim, earflap, and check pattern elements
• Contrast color: approximately 2 ounces (95 yards) for the check pattern

The recommended yarn is Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride worsted, a premium blend consisting of 85% wool and 15% mohair. Each skein of Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride contains approximately 190 yards and weighs 4 ounces (113 grams). The pattern samples were knitted using portions of 2 skeins of this yarn.

The project requires size 6 circular needles (two 16-inch needles) and a set of size 6 double-pointed needles for working the crown decreases. A single stitch marker is needed to track the beginning of rounds.

Gauge and Sizing Information

Proper gauge is essential for achieving the correct fit and the brim's self-supporting structure. The hat body gauge, measured in stockinette stitch knitted in the round after washing and blocking, is 18 stitches and 22 rows over 4 inches. The brim section is worked at a noticeably tighter gauge of 19 stitches and 26 rows over 4 inches on the same size 6 needles, demonstrating the importance of tension control in this design.

The Urban Hunter is available in two sizes designed for a snug fit to maximize warmth:

• Adult Medium: 21 to 22.5 inches circumference
• Adult Large: 22.5 to 24 inches circumference

The brim dimensions remain the same for both sizes, with only the hat body adjusted to accommodate different head circumferences.

Difficulty Level

Rated as an intermediate project, the Urban Hunter requires knitters to be comfortable with knitting in the round, managing color changes for the check pattern, and understanding gauge manipulation. The self-supporting brim construction demonstrates intermediate design principles, making this an excellent project for knitters looking to expand their skills beyond basic hat construction.