Snowglobe Hat

Snowglobe Hat by Selena Miskin

What Is Being Made

The Snowglobe Hat is a knitted beanie designed by Selena Miskin for WayfaringYarns Designs. This project creates a fitted or slouchy winter hat featuring decorative cable patterns embellished with either mini bobbles or beads. The hat is engineered to fit most women, with an unstretched circumference of 15 inches that stretches to 19-20 inches when worn, accommodating various head sizes and preferred fit styles.

Knitting Techniques and Construction

This intermediate-level knitting project uses the classic technique of working in the round, which creates a seamless, tubular fabric ideal for hats. The construction begins with circular needles and transitions to double-point needles as the circumference decreases toward the crown, a standard approach for small-circumference knitting. The hat features a prominent cable pattern as its primary design element, which adds visual interest and structural integrity to the finished piece. Crafters have the flexibility to choose between two embellishment methods: mini bobbles, which are small knitted bumps created directly from the fabric, or decorative beads sewn into the knitted surface. The pattern also includes instructions for creating an optional pom pom, a classic finishing touch that can be attached to the crown.

Stitches and Stitch Techniques

The Snowglobe Hat employs cable stitches as its signature stitch pattern, creating the textured, twisted appearance that gives the hat its visual appeal. Cable work requires the use of a cable needle to temporarily hold stitches while others are worked, allowing the characteristic crossed-stitch effect. The pattern accommodates bobble creation for those choosing that embellishment route, which involves increasing stitches in a single stitch and then decreasing them back to create a three-dimensional textured bump. The construction also incorporates basic knitting fundamentals such as ribbing for the brim (typical in fitted hat designs) and decreases for shaping the crown.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The Snowglobe Hat is designed for fingering weight yarn, also known as 4-ply weight, which creates a fine, detailed fabric ideal for showcasing cable patterns. Yarn requirements vary based on the chosen style:

• Close-fitting hat with beads: 200 yards
• Slouchy hat with beads: 230 yards
• Close-fitting hat with bobbles: 250 yards
• Slouchy hat with bobbles: 300 yards
• Additional yarn for optional pom pom as desired

The sample shown was knit with Handmaiden Yarns Mini Maiden, a premium fingering weight yarn composed of 50% wool and 50% silk, which provides both warmth and a luxurious drape. This fiber blend creates a sophisticated finish with excellent stitch definition for cable work.

Beads and Embellishment Materials

For crafters choosing the beaded embellishment option, the pattern specifies #6/0 beads (standard seed beads). The bead quantities depend on hat style:

• Close-fitting hat: approximately 470 beads (14 grams)
• Slouchy hat: approximately 630 beads (20 grams)

These beads are sewn onto the finished knitted fabric to create sparkle and dimension reminiscent of a snowglobe.

Needles and Tools

The pattern requires US #3/3.25mm needles in multiple formats to accommodate the different stages of construction. Crafters need one 16-inch circular needle for the initial cast-on and body of the hat, plus one set of US #3/3.25mm double-point needles (or preferred small-circumference needles) for the crown decreases. A cable needle is essential for executing the cable pattern throughout the project.

Difficulty Level

Rated as intermediate, the Snowglobe Hat is suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to tackle cable work and shaping. The combination of cable stitches, bead application or bobble creation, and in-the-round construction requires comfort with multiple techniques, making it an ideal next-step project for advancing knitters.