Coho Beanie

Coho Beanie by Fay Dashper-Hughes

What is Being Made

The Coho Beanie is an adult and toddler-sized knitted hat designed to fit snugly against the head. Available in five size options—Adult XS/Child, Adult Small, Adult M/L, Adult L/XL, and Toddler—this beanie features a distinctive central colorwork section that makes it both visually interesting and straightforward to knit. The design is inspired by the Coho salmon, which undergoes dramatic color transformations as it transitions from ocean to freshwater spawning grounds, shifting from silver and blue tones to greens and reds.

Knitting Techniques and Construction

The Coho Beanie is knitted in the round, a technique that creates a seamless, tubular fabric ideal for hat construction. This method eliminates the need for seaming and ensures a smooth, professional finish. The pattern incorporates a central colorwork section, which adds visual depth and interest while remaining easy to memorize during the knitting process. The design is specifically engineered to be adaptable, allowing knitters to modify the crown height to accommodate different head shapes, making it accessible to a wider range of wearers.

Stitches and Stitch Details

The Coho Beanie employs ribbed knitting for the brim and crown sections, a classic technique that provides stretch and recovery, ensuring the hat maintains its snug fit around the head. The colorwork section uses stranded knitting techniques, where multiple yarn colors are carried across the back of the work to create the patterned design. Detailed stitch charts are provided in the pattern to guide the colorwork placement.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

This pattern calls for sport weight yarn, a lightweight option that creates a refined, close-fitting beanie. The recommended yarn is Yarnadelic by John Arbon Textiles, a 100% Corriedale wool available in 25g skeins with 83 meters (91 yards) per skein. Knitters should select 3 or 4 different shades depending on which version of the pattern they choose to knit. Yarn requirements vary by size:

• Adult L/XL: Approximately 37–110 meters (40–120 yards) total
• Adult M/L: Approximately 12–63 meters (13–69 yards) total
• Adult Small: Approximately 12–70 meters (13–76 yards) total
• Adult XS/Child: Approximately 12–50 meters (13–55 yards) total
• Toddler: Specific yardage detailed in the pattern's Measurements Guide

The pattern includes a comprehensive Measurements Guide on Page 5 that specifies exact yarn weights for each size and version, allowing knitters to calculate precise yardage needs.

Needles and Tools

Construction requires 3mm needles for the rib and crown sections and 3.5mm needles for other sections of the hat. For most sizes, a 60cm-long circular needle cable is recommended to accommodate the in-the-round knitting method comfortably. The toddler size is knitted using a shorter 25cm circular needle, appropriate for the smaller circumference.

Difficulty Level

The Coho Beanie is rated as an intermediate knitting project. While the in-the-round construction and colorwork techniques require foundational knitting skills, the pattern is designed to be easy to memorize, making it manageable for knitters with some experience who are ready to expand their technical repertoire.