Reversible Hat in Purl Soho’s New Line Weight!
The arrival of Purl Soho’s latest yarn, Line Weight, has inspired a fresh crop of beautiful knits, starting with the Purl Soho Reversible Hat! With its doubled up design, this hat takes full advantage of the soft ephemerality of Line Weight. Where one layer might not block a bitter chill, two are just right!
And two-hats-in-one means that the Reversible Hat changes as easily as your mood. Feeling Super Pink on Saturday and Heirloom White on Sunday? Or Dragonfly Blue in the morning and Peacock Blue at night? Flip it around and let your hat be the color of your spirit!
The Purl Soho Reversible Hat owes its elegance to the pared-down beauty of our new Line Weight. A single ply filament of 100% sumptuously soft merino wool, Line Weight is as simple as breath. It emits a subtle and beautiful glow that makes this hat truly special. -Whitney
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Whitney Van Nes.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoReversibleHat, and #PurlSohoLineWeight. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- Color A: 1 skein of Purl Soho’s Line Weight, 100% merino wool yarn. Each skein of this fingering weight yarn is 494 yards/ 100 grams; up to 196 yards required. We used Heirloom White and Dragonfly Blue.
- Color B: 1 skein of Line Weight; up to 196 yards required. We used Super Pink and Peacock Blue.
- A set of US 3 (3.25 mm) double pointed needles (all sizes)
- US 3, 16-inch circular needles (for Women’s and Men’s sizes only)
- Stitch markers (or scrap yarn)
Gauge
31 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
Sizes
Baby (Toddler, Kid, Women’s, Men’s)
- Circumference: 12¾ (14, 16¼, 18½ , 21) inches
- Height: 7 (7¾, 8½, 9¼, 10) inches
Pattern
Our free Reversible Hat + Matching Cowl Knitting patterns are at this link.
Update: Matching Cowl
Update: New Colors!
September 2016
We’ve given our Reversible Hat + Reversible Cowl a color update! Dipping into this season’s Line Weight palette, these favorite old projects have brand new personalities: natural and woodsy, timeless and beautiful.
August 2021
We just added five pretty new colors to the Line Weight collection (and used newbies Clear Sky and Lilac Fog here), making the entire palette is a playground filled with fun choices and unexpected combinations!
LEARN ABOUT LINE WEIGHT + ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL YARNS
Line Weight is a lovely choice for this project because it is sumptuously soft with a subtle luster. A lithe single ply of 100% merino wool, this fingering-weight yarn knits up into a smooth fabric that blooms beautifully when you hand wash it. Enjoy 494 yards of beautiful knitting with every 100-gram skein and choose from over 20 riveting colors!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our collection of (mostly free!) Line Weight patterns and cast on!
More Fingering-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of fingering-weight yarns
- If you want to use a different yarn, be sure to take the time to get the correct gauge. Need help? Check our All About Gauge Tutorial!
More Yarns With Similar Fibers
- Shop merino wool yarn
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
Lovely yarn and great hat idea. Thank you!
I always love seeing all the beautiful photos you post and the beautiful colours of the yarn!
Very softy looking and beautiful color combinations!
Is this done by so called "double knitting" ?
Hi Nao,
Great question! No, for this design you knit from the top down for the first hat, switch colors and then knit the second hat from the bottom up. Easy!
Thanks so much for asking!
Whitney
In the description of the yarn, it says gauge is 24-32 sttiches per inch. Is this correct or is it 24-32 per 4 inches? Just asking because 32/inch seems much smaller than what's pictured. The hats are so pretty!
Hi Pat-
Thanks so much for catching that misleading typo! We will fix it shortly.The yarn definitely isn't that thin! The gauge for these hats is 7 3/4 stitches per inch. We will get the correct gauge up on Purl Soho ASAP.
Thank you!
Molly
If I buy four skeins of yarn for the Colorblock Hand Warmers, will there be enough yarn left of two colours to knit one Reversible Hat (for women)? And if so, do you think I could use any colour of the four colours or will I have to use the two where the most yarn is left? Thank you!
Hi Franziska,
You'll need about a half of skein of each color for the Reversible Hat, so you should be just fine! Great idea!
Thanks so much for your question!
Whitney
what other weight yarn can I use to make this hat. I want t make it for my grandson he doesn't like any of the line colors what weight is the line weight he wants bright orange and black
'
Hi Beth,
Any fingering weight yarn will work! I'd suggest Anzula's Sebastian (https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/8197-Anzula-Sebastian); Koigu's Premium Merino (https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/410-Koigu-Wool-Designs-Koigu-Premium-Merino-KPM); or Spud and Chloe's Fine (https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/5884-Spud-Chloe-Fine). All of these come in orange and black and are absolutely beautiful!
If you'd like to browse our whole collection of fingering weight yarns, here is a link: https://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/3-knitting-crochet-yarn?filters%5B%5D=3
Thanks for your question and please let us know if you have any others. It sounds like a real cool hat!
Whitney
Molly, is the pricing correct for the pattern download? It shows $40 or $48.50 for everything in the drop-down. I would love the pattern download but $40 just doesn't seem right!!
Hi Terri,
The pricing for the pattern alone has been corrected. Sorry for the mix-up!
Anna
I love this! The colours are gorgeous and its such a simple elegant design. Would it be possible to have a photo of it being worn please? I'd quite like to see it in action (teenagers are very fussy)
I want to make this for my husband (next winter), but his head circumference is 23", while the largest size in the pattern is 21". I bought the kit, do you think I can just stretch the hat once it is complete? Suggestions?
Hi Cynthia,
Yes! Hats are meant to stretch to fit the head of the wearer. That way they are snug around the head and don't fall into anyone's eyes! It sounds perfect to me that your husband's head is two inches bigger than the size you are thinking of making. Go for it!
Thanks for your question and please let us know if you have any others!
Whitney
Knitting hats is my bread and butter! This is an adorable hat and the yarn for it looks amazing!
Can you tell me the row gauge for the pattern? Thanks!
Hi Abigail!
The row pattern is not crucial to this pattern, but our sample has a row gauge of almost exactly 12 rows per inch.
Happy Knitting!
Thomas
I do not see on here anywhere that it lists what level of experience a knitter needs to be. Could you tell me how difficult this pattern is? Thank you.
Hi Darby-
This is an intermediate pattern. I wouldn’t recommend it as a first hat project but if you have made a hat (or mittens or anything that involves knitting in the round, double pointed needles, and decreasing) you should be able to do it!
Please let us know if you have any more questions!
Best-
Molly
I was very excited to make this for my son who is outside all day. I used a baby alpaca fingering yarn and it turned out like a mushroom. I added ribbing with a number one needle to bring it in a little. I want to try doing it in a ribbed pattern which might make it more of a tight fit. Do you think that would work? The math when increasing will be difficult however I think it would work. Thoughts?
Ruth,
So glad to hear you’ve enjoyed the pattern. You could try to do it in a ribbed pattern although I agree that it will be a little difficult to figure out the math for increasing and decreasing. If you want to make the entire project in a ribbed pattern I would take a look at our Boyfriend Hat pattern to see how to do the decreases in the ribbed pattern and you could follow the same idea to increase as well: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2014/02/02/lauras-loop-the-boyfriend-hat/
I would recommend doing the pattern as is and simply adding in a 2-3 inch rib in both colors from where the fold would be (where you switch from color a to color b). This would make the hat fit tighter in the brim so it would be more insulating around the head.
Hope this helps!
Jake
Just love every hat,can’t wait to get started.Happy knitting. Jan
It helps to mark the last row of increases for the “first” hat with a scrap piece of yarn, to know how to measure to start the decreases for hat 2. I found it hard to find the end of my increases because the yarn is so fine.
Working on my third hat now! Lot’s of fun!
Please. — how do I get this beautiful “Hat ” pattern
Hi there,
Thanks for writing in! All of our for-purchase patterns can be found under the “shop” section on the website. Click here for the Reversible Hat pattern. Thanks again!
-Adam
Beginning the project and am stuck on the steps after reaching 81 stitches. Can you please clarify the meaning of “Repeat last three round 2 (3,5,5,5) more times 99 (108,126,126,126) stitches” . Does it mean after increasing a round I have to knit next round or knit 2x before increasing to reach the number of stitches on the bracket?
Thank you.
Hi Dina,
Thanks for the question. It all depends on which size you are making. Let’s say you are making the toddler size, which is the first size within the parenthesis. To get to 81 stitches you repeated round 3 (increase of 9 stitches). Now the pattern tells you to knit two rounds without increasing. The repeat of round 3 and the two knit rounds equals three rounds total. Now, since we are using the toddler size as our example, you will repeat those last three rounds starting with the increase round 3 times, which will give you 108 stitches after the third increase round. I hope this clears things up!
-Adam
I love this pattern and, of course your yarn. I just went online to purchase Black Green and Green Turquoise in Line Weight , and they aren’t listed. How can I get my hands. On them !
Hi Joy,
Thanks for writing in! Sadly, both of those lovely colors have been retired. We do have a variety of lovely other colors currently available!
Best,
Cassy
I’ve bought the pattern and love the look, but is there a way to knit the top closed without the little finishing tassel? most men would rather not have the tassel.. Thanks.
Hi Cynthia,
Thanks for reaching out! Yes, you can definitely omit the tassel! Since the tassel is added after that hat is complete, you can skip that step and weave in your ends once you are done knitting.
Best,
Julianna
Please clarify the when instructed: Repeat last three rounds ( 5) more times.
I knitted Round 3( Increased 9 stitches)
I knitted Round 4 ( Knit)
I knitted Repeat Round 3 ( Increased 9 stitches)
I reached 126 stitches after 3 times instead of 5 times.
What have I done incorrectly?
Thank you for your help.
Jule Saracco
Hi Jule,
Thanks for reaching out! I think you might have missed the short line that has you knit two rounds after repeating Round 3! When you are repeating the last three rounds, you will go back to “NEXT ROUND: Repeat Round 3” for the first round, then knit two rounds without increasing for the second and third rounds.
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
Hi Purl Soho team, hope you’re all doing well! I just bought the hat pattern, it’s adorable, but I must admit I’m a little confused!
A few question (my level is also quite beginner so apologize if the answers are obvious)
1. The pattern asks for DPNs — can I replace it with using magic loop? And if so, would it vary dramatically?
2. I can’t figure out what this means (or what it’s supposed to look like if using the magic loop):
With Color A, loosely cast 9 stitches onto three double pointed needles (3 stitches each), leaving a 3-foot tail. Join for working in the round, being careful to not twist the stitches.
ROUND 1: Knit into the front and back (kfb) 9 times. (18 stitches) — kfb creates two stitches each time so I’ll end up with 18 stithces, but I only do this once and I move onto round 2?
Thank you so much!
Hi Yvonne,
Thanks for reaching out! So first off, I think you would be able to use magic loop instead of DPNs as long as you can work the decreases the same way evenly across the hat! Second, that is correct! You work round 1 knitting the front and back of each stitch till you end up with 18 stitches and then one you finish the round you move on to the next round!
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna