Maple

Maple Hat by Anne Michelle Phelan

What is Being Made

Maple is a knitted hat designed by Anne Michelle Phelan featuring a nature-inspired colorwork pattern. The design celebrates the seasonal beauty of maple seeds with motifs reminiscent of "helicopters," "twisters," and "whirligigs"—the distinctive spinning seeds that fall each autumn. This intermediate-level knitting project is sized to fit head circumferences of 20–23.5 inches (51–59.5 cm) and produces a finished hat with a circumference of 19.5 inches (49.5 cm) and a height of 9 inches (23 cm).

Techniques Used

The Maple hat employs several key knitting techniques suitable for an intermediate knitter. The pattern begins with a flat foundation row before transitioning to circular knitting, allowing for seamless in-the-round construction. The primary technique featured is stranded colorwork, where two colors are carried simultaneously to create the patterned design. The pattern includes long floats—sections where yarn is carried across multiple stitches without being knitted. To maintain proper fabric integrity and elasticity, the pattern requires wrapping floats when carrying yarn over 6 or more consecutive stitches, preventing overly tight tension that could distort the hat's shape and fit. Knitters must read the colorwork chart from bottom to top, a standard practice in circular knitting patterns.

Stitches Used

The Maple hat is constructed primarily in stockinette stitch in the round, which creates a smooth, classic fabric ideal for displaying colorwork patterns. This fundamental stitch provides an even canvas for the stranded colorwork motifs that form the maple seed design. The pattern uses a gauge of 20 stitches and 28 rounds per 4 inches (10 cm) when worked in stockinette stitch in the round on 4.5mm needles, ensuring proper sizing and fabric drape.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Maple hat calls for Malabrigo Worsted, a premium yarn composed of 100% merino wool. The yarn provides 210 yards (192 metres) per 100-gram ball, offering excellent stitch definition for colorwork. The pattern requires one ball each of two colors: #35 Frank Ochre (main color) and #602 Pale Khaki (contrast color), for a total of 2 balls.

Needle requirements are flexible to accommodate different knitting preferences. Knitters may choose either one 16-inch (40 cm) circular needle in US 6 (4mm) or one set of double-pointed needles (dpns) in US 6 (4mm) for the initial ribbed or foundation section. A second set of double-pointed needles in US 7 (4.5mm) is required for the main body of the hat worked in stockinette stitch. The pattern recommends adjusting needle sizes as necessary to achieve the specified gauge. Additional notions include a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends and a stitch marker for tracking the beginning of rounds.