Mirror Pond

Mirror Pond Hat by Taiga Hilliard Designs

Project Overview

Mirror Pond is an advanced-level knitted hat featuring classic cable patterns executed with a modern aesthetic. Designed by Taiga Hilliard Designs, this unisex hat is suitable for the entire family across seven size ranges, from Baby through X-Large Adult. The pattern combines written instructions with charted guidance, making it accessible to experienced knitters who are comfortable reading both formats. This is an ideal project for fall and winter knitting, offering a satisfying and relatively quick knit despite its advanced difficulty rating.

What Is Being Made

Mirror Pond is a fitted, round knitted hat worked in the round from the brim upward. The hat features a ribbed brim and cable-patterned crown, creating a classic yet contemporary design. Available in seven sizes with brim circumferences ranging from 14 inches (Baby) to 26 inches (X-Large Adult), the hat can be customized to fit various head sizes and ages.

Knitting Techniques Used

• Circular knitting: The hat is worked in the round using circular needles, requiring careful joining at the cast-on edge
• Cable work: Classic four-stitch cables form the primary design element, requiring cable needle manipulation
• Ribbing: A knit-purl ribbed brim provides stretch and structure at the hat's opening
• Decreasing: Shaping techniques are used to taper the crown toward completion
• Gauge management: Proper gauge is essential for achieving correct fit across all seven sizes

Stitches and Abbreviations

• K (Knit): Basic knit stitch
• P (Purl): Basic purl stitch
• K2tog (Knit two together): Right-leaning decrease
• SSK (Slip, slip, knit): Left-leaning decrease worked by slipping two stitches individually, then knitting them together through the back loop
• C4B (Cable four back): Slip two stitches onto cable needle and hold in back, knit two stitches, then knit two stitches from cable needle
• C4F (Cable four front): Slip two stitches onto cable needle and hold in front, knit two stitches, then knit two stitches from cable needle
• Pm (Place marker): Used to mark the beginning of rounds and pattern repeats

Materials and Yarn Specifications

Mirror Pond is designed for bulky-weight yarn, with OOAKKnits Bulky Merino specified in the pattern. The yarn requirement ranges from 100 to 250 yards depending on the size selected, with smaller sizes requiring less yardage and larger sizes requiring more. The pattern is flexible and can accommodate bulky, chunky, or doubled worsted-weight yarns, allowing knitters to substitute yarns while maintaining proper gauge.

Needles and Gauge

The pattern calls for two needle sizes to create proper fabric density. US size 8 (5.00 mm) needles are used for the ribbed brim, while US size 10 (6.00 mm) needles are used for the main cable pattern. Knitters should adjust needle sizes as needed to achieve the specified gauge of 16.0 stitches over 4 inches in stockinette stitch. Proper gauge is critical for ensuring the hat fits correctly across all seven size options.

Cast-On and Construction

The pattern begins with a long-tail cast-on using the smaller needle, with stitch counts varying by size: 54 stitches for Baby, 63 for Kid, 72 for Teen, 81 for Small Adult, 90 for Medium Adult, 99 for Large Adult, and 108 for X-Large Adult. The cast-on edge must be joined carefully in the round to begin circular knitting, setting the foundation for the hat's structure.