As soft and tasty as its namesake, these Fluffy Brioche Hats showcase the richness of our new Cashmere Merino Bloom, our most sumptuous yarn yet. Putting a toasty Fluffy Brioche Hat on your head is about as nice as putting a warm pastry in your belly!
Filled with textural interest, the fluffy brioche stitch creates space and dimensionality, giving the cashmere room to bloom. A twisted rib cuff contrasts nicely and adds great structure where you need it most.
From sweet heathered Honey Pink to helix-spun Charcoal Onyx, Cashmere Merino Bloom’s nine-color palette has something for everyone. Pick your favorites and kick off your fall knitting with this very special yarn! –Laura
Materials
- 1 (1, 1, 1, 2) skeins of Purl Soho’s Cashmere Merino Bloom, 75% extra fine merino wool, 25% cashmere
- US 4, 16-inch circular needles (Kid and Adult sizes only)
- Set of US 4 double pointed needles (all sizes)
- US 7, 16-inch circular needles (if using a Long Tail Tubular Cast On, all sizes: if using a Long Tail Cast On or similar, Kid and Adult sizes only)
- Set of US 7 double pointed needles (Baby size only)
- 4 stitch markers, including one unique marker for end-of-round
SAMPLES
- Baby: Heirloom White and Dove Gray
- Kid Small: Lavender Moon and Rose Granite
- Kid Large: Honey Pink and Ballet Pink
- Adult Small: Tide Pool and Charcoal Onyx
- Adult Large: Salt + Pepper
Gauge
24 stitches = 4 inches in Twisted Rib on larger needles
20 stitches and 44 rounds = 4 inches in Fluffy Brioche on smaller needles
NOTE: For some tips on how to make these gauge swatches, visit our Swatching for Circular Gauge Tutorial. Here, you’ll want to cast on an even number of stitches and use the stitch patterns given in their respective sections, below.
Sizes
Baby (Kid Small, Kid Large, Adult Small, Adult Large)
- Finished Circumference: 14 ½, (16, 17 ½, 19 ¼, 20 ¾) inches
- Finished Height (un-cuffed): 7 ¾ (8 ½, 9 ½, 10 ¾, 11 ¾) inches
Notes
Slip all slipped stitches purlwise.
bk2tog (brioche knit 2 together): Knit next stitch together with its paired yarn over.
NOTE: When counting stitches in a brioche pattern, you don’t include yarn overs in the stitch count. Each yarn over is paired with a knit stitch, and you count this pair as a single stitch.
Pattern
Cast On
NOTE: I used a Long Tail Tubular Cast On because it’s nice and stretchy, but a basic Long Tail Cast On would also be beautiful (and less complicated!) If you do a Long Tail Tubular Cast On, be aware that, because this rib is twisted, the Foundation Rows are slightly different than in our tutorial.
IF YOU DO A LONG TAIL TUBULAR CAST ON…
Cast 72 (80, 88, 96, 104) stitches onto the larger circular needles.
Do not join for working in the round.
Foundation Row 1 (wrong side): *Knit 1, slip one with yarn in front (wyif), repeat from * to end of row.
Foundation Row 2 (right side): *Knit 1 through the back loop (tbl), slip 1 wyif, repeat from * to end of row.
NOTE: If you are knitting the Baby size, once you’ve completed the Foundation Rows, distribute your stitches evenly on the larger double pointed needles. The 16-inch circular needles are too long for the circumference of the smallest hat.
IF YOU DO A LONG TAIL CAST ON OR SIMILAR…
Cast 72 (80, 88, 96, 104) stitches onto the larger double pointed needles, for the Baby size, or onto the larger circular needles, for all other sizes.
Continue on to the next section, Work in Twisted Rib.
Work in Twisted Rib
Place unique marker and join for working in the round, being careful to not twist the stitches.
Round 1: *K1 through the back loop (tbl), p1 tbl, repeat from * to end of round.
Repeat Round 1 until piece measures 1 ¾ (2, 2 ¼, 2 ½, 2 ¾) inches from cast-on edge.
Work in Fluffy Brioche
Change to smaller double pointed or circular needles.
Round 1: *P1, slip 1 with yarn in front (wyif), yo, repeat from * to end of round.
Round 2: *K1, bk2tog (see Notes), repeat from * to end of round.
Round 3: *Slip 1 wyif, yo, p1, repeat from * to end of round.
Round 4: *Bk2tog, k1, repeat from * to end of round.
Repeat Rounds 1-4 until piece measures approximately 6½ (7, 7 ¾, 8 ¾, 9 ¾) inches from cast-on edge or approximately 1¼ (1½, 1 ¾, 2, 2) inches from finished desired height.
Next Round: Repeat Round 1.
Shape Crown
Set-Up Round: [(K1, bk2tog) 9 (10, 11, 12, 13) times, place marker] four times, not placing marker on last repeat.
Round 1 (decrease round): [K1tbl, p2tog, p1, *slip 1 wyif, yo, p1, repeat from * to two stitches before next marker, p2tog tbl, slip marker (sm)] four times. [8 stitches decreased]
Round 2: [K1tbl, k2, *bk2tog, k1, repeat from * to one stitch before next marker, k1, sm] four times.
Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 four (five, six, seven, eight) more time(s). [32 stitches]
Next Round (decrease round): [K1 tbl, p2tog, p1, slip 1 wyif, yo, p1, p2tog tbl] 4 times. [24 stitches]
Next Round: [K1 tbl, k2, bk2tog, k2] 4 times.
Next Round (decrease round): [K1 tbl, p2tog, p1, p2tog tbl] 4 times. [16 stitches]
Next Round (decrease round): [K1 tbl, s2kp] 4 times. [8 stitches]
Cut yarn and thread onto tapestry needle. Draw needle through remaining stitches and pull taut. Draw needle to inside of hat and weave in tail to secure.
Finish
Weave in remaining ends and block as desired.
PRINT
I really like the look of this pattern. I am considering doubling your Tussock yarn to create this hat. Would that create enough weight or would the gauge just simple be too far off?
Thanks!
Hi Regina,
Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately, even doubled, Tussock would probably not be thick enough for this pattern, and since it has no natural stretch, your hat might not be very easy to keep on your head. However, since it is so thin, you could add a strand of Tussock to the Cashmere Merino Bloom without altering the gauge and would end up with a hat with the soft, fluffy halo of Tussock without having to worry about fit or gauge issues!
Best,
Julianna
In your sample colors, you say you used two colors (ex: Kid Small: Lavender Moon and Rose GraniteKid Small: Lavender Moon and Rose Granite). If I am planning to use only one color, should I double the skein?
Hello Becca,
Thank you for reaching out! We just used one color for each of the hats, so you can follow the instructions and just use the one skein.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
I’m confused, like Becca said, in your sample hats you give us the two colors used to knit each hat. Does that mean you double stranded, one of each color? Your reply to Becca you said you only used one color, but picture samples clearly show two for each hat . So pretty!
Hello Maureen,
Thank you for your question! These hats are knit with a single strand of yarn and with just one color. The only hat the has two tones in it is the Adult Small in Charcoal Onyx, which is a marled yarn.
I hope this clears things up for you and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hi!~~~is Peace Fleece in worsted weight too heavy to make
this hat?
Thanks Sue
Hi Sue,
Thanks for reaching out! Although I’m not familiar with Peace Fleece, the Cashmere Merino Bloom we used is a DK weight yarn, so a worsted weight yarn might be too thick. I would suggest knitting a gauge swatch to see if it will work.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Hi
I am making adult small size hat. My circumference is measuring to 16 inches only, even though the gauge for twisted rib is exactly correct. The measurement in the pattern is 19.25. Is your measurement stretched knitting?
I need a hat for an adult with head circumference 20 inches and should be snug.
Thanks
Alpana
Hi Alpana,
Thanks for reaching out! This is actually correct for the brim of the hat – the finished measurements are for the fluffy brioche body of the hat, but the unstretched twisted rib brim is much smaller than the rest of the hat since it will stretch to fit. It sounds like you are on the right track!
I hope that helps!
Julianna