As we bustle around in this brisk month of merriment, seasonal sweets seem to be everywhere you go. I must confess, even as an adult, when I’m offered a tray or bowl or basket of goodies, I reach with a sly grin, full of anticipation, overwhelmed by choice. That moment of choosing, it’s nearly as sweet as the sweet treat itself!

Button Candy Hat | Purl Soho

Now this may be a youngest sibling thing, but for me, being offered a moment all to myself to choose what I want, that brief moment of picking, it’s golden. It’s no wonder, my affinity for Button Candy. Feet of scrolling white paper covered with colored candy dots, and most importantly, all mine. Mine to be picked and plucked at my pace, creating patterns from my selections. So many options, so much joy.

Button Candy Hat | Purl Soho

Inspired by the festivity of those candy colors, the wonderment of their arrangement and the joy they bring, I knit up this Button Candy Hat. The bright colors of Koigu’s hand-dyed merino Needlepoint Yarns are perfect for the fair isle bobbles, and Purl Soho’s incredibly soft Line Weight merino makes a wonderfully downy backdrop.

Button Candy Hat | Purl Soho

I hope this season is filled with joy and merriment and many moments of selecting sweet treats. Happy Holidays! –Laura

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Laura Ferguson.

Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoButtonCandyHat, and #PurlSohoLineWeight. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Materials

Button Candy Hat | Purl Soho

  • Main Color (MC): 1 skein of Purl Soho’s Line Weight, 100% merino wool. Each skein is 494 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 110 (130, 165) yards required. We used the color Heirloom White.
  • Contrast Colors: 4 skeins of Koigu Premium Merino Needlepoint Yarns, 100% merino wool, in the colors (shown above, from left to right)… Contrast Color a (CCa): 1145, Contrast Color b (CCb): 2229, Contrast Color c (CCc): 2100, Contrast Color d (CCd): 1504
  • US 4 (3.5 mm), 12-inch circular or double pointed needles
  • A set of US 2 (3 mm) double pointed needles

GAUGE

33 stitches and 44 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch, using MC and smaller needles

SIZES

Baby (Toddler, Child)

  • Circumference: 12 (14, 15¾) inches
  • Height: 6¼ (7, 7¾) inches

Notes

MB [make bobble]: knit into front and back (kfb), turn work, (with wrong side facing) k2tog, turn work, (with right side facing) k1 through the back loop (k1 tbl)

If you wish to modify the pattern, be sure to cast on a multiple of 5 stitches.

Pattern

Begin

With larger needles and MC, cast on 100 (115, 130) stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Place marker and join for working in the round being careful not to twist the stitches.

Knit one round.

Change to smaller needles.

Continue working in stockinette stitch, knitting each round, until the piece measures ¼ (¾, 1¼) inches from rolled edge.

Make Button Candy

Round 1: *With MC, k4; with CCa, make bobble (MB, see pattern notes above), repeat from * to end of round. Cut CCa.

Round 2: *With MC, k4, k1 through the back loop (k1 tbl), repeat from * to end of round.

Rounds 3-6: With MC, knit.

Repeat Rounds 1-6 one more time.

Repeat Rounds 1-6 two more times, with CCb in place of CCa.

Repeat Rounds 1-6 two more times, with CCc in place of CCa.

Repeat Rounds 1-6 two more times, with CCd in place of CCa.

Shape Top of Hat

Round 1 (Decrease Round): *K18 (21, 24), Knit Two Together (k2tog), place maker (pm), repeat from * to end of round. [95 (110, 125) stitches]

Round 2: Knit.

Round 3 (Decrease Round): *Knit to two stitches before marker, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (5 stitches decreased)

Repeat Rounds 2 and 3 one more time. [85 (100, 115) stitches]

Repeat Round 3 fourteen (seventeen, twenty) more times. [15 (15, 15) stitches]

Finish

Cut yarn and thread it onto a tapestry needle to draw through remaining stitches. Pull tight and bring tail to inside of hat to weave in.

Weave in the remaining ends and gently block.

Button Candy Hat | Purl Soho