Our Lovely Ribbed Hat may take its cue from the classic watchman cap, but you don’t have to be a stevedore to wear this perfectly constructed little head warmer!

Lovely Ribbed Hat | Purl Soho

Our version retains the soul of the ones worn on docks and decks since who-knows-when, but it has certainly dispensed with the itch. Knit up in our incredibly soft Season Alpaca, this simple hat is sumptuous and warm and wonderful on the head!

Lovely Ribbed Hat | Purl Soho

Wear your Lovely Ribbed Hat like Jacques Cousteau, neat and trim with a turned up rim, or leave it long for a more tossed-off look. It’s happy either way!

Lovely Ribbed Hat | Purl Soho

And in a 2 x2 rib, you’ll just be alternating a couple of knits with a couple of purls. If you can do that, you can make one for everyone in your life, from toddlers to adults. And it’s an ideal project to take with you anywhere… You’ll just need one skein for all but the largest size, which only takes 2!

Lovely Ribbed Hat | Purl Soho

Designed for Purl Soho by Laura Ferguson.

Update: New Yarn

February 28, 2020

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This particular Lovely Ribbed Hat is not only one of our most beloved and classic hat patterns, it also introduces our very newest yarn, Linen Quill Worsted! Read all about it here!

Materials

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Gauge

36 stitches and 32 rows = 4 inches in stitch pattern

Sizes

Toddler/Kid Small (Kid Large/Adult Small, Adult Large)
To fit actual head size of 14 to 16¼ (19 to 22, 23½ to 27¼) inches

  • Finished Circumference (unstretched): 10¾ (14¼,17¾) inches
  • Finished Height: 7¾ (11, 12¼) inches

Pattern

Begin At Bottom Edge

Cast 96 (128, 160) stitches onto circular needles. We 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 use the Long Tail Tubular Cast On, don’t forget to work the three Foundation Rows before joining in the round (they are described both in our tutorial and below).

If you did a Long Tail Tubular Cast On…

Foundation Row 1: *Knit 1 through the back loop, slip one purlwise with yarn in front (wyif), repeat from * to end of row.

Foundation Row 2: *K1, slip 1 purlwise wyif, repeat from * to end of row.

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

Foundation Round 1: *K1, knit the second stitch on the left needle letting the first stitch temporarily fall off the left needle, place that fallen stitch back onto the left needle, p2, repeat from * to end of round.

Continue to the Continue In 2 x 2 Rib section.

If you did a Long Tail Cast On or similar…

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

Continue to the next section, Continue In 2 x 2 Rib.

Continue In 2 x 2 Rib

Round 1: *K2, p2, repeat from * to end of round.

Repeat Round 1 until piece measures 6½ (8¾, 9) inches from cast-on edge.

Shape Crown

NOTE: Change to double pointed needles when necessary.

Set-Up Round: Remove unique end-of-round stitch marker, k1, replace unique end-of-round stitch marker, [(k1, p2, k1) six (8, 10) times, place marker] three times, *k1, p2, k1, repeat from * to end of round.

Round 1: [(K1, p2, k1) two times, ssk, *p1, k2, p1, repeat from * to 2 stitches before next marker, k2tog] four times. [8 stitches decreased]

Round 2: [(K1, p2, k1) two times, k1, *p1, k2, p1, repeat from * to 1 stitch before next marker, k1] four times.

Round 3: [(K1, p2, k1) two times, ssk, *k2, p2, repeat from * to last 4 stitches, k2, k2tog] four times. [8 stitches decreased]

Round 4: [(K1, p2, k1) two times, k3, *p2, k2, repeat from * to 1 stitch before next marker, k1] four times.

Round 5: [K1, p2, k1) two times, ssk, *k1, p2, k1, repeat from * to 2 stitches before next marker, k2tog] four times. [8 stitches decreased]

Round 6: [(K1, p2, k1) two times, *k2, p2, repeat from * to 2 stitches before next marker, k2] four times.

Round 7: [K1, p2, k1) two times, ssk, *p2, k2, repeat from * to last 4 stitches before next marker, p2, k2tog] four times. [8 stitches decreased]

Round 8: *K1, p2, k1, repeat from * to end of round.

Repeat Rounds 1-8 zero (1, 2) more time(s). [64 stitches]

Next Round: *Ssk, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [32 stitches]

Repeat last round. [16 stitches]

Cut yarn and thread the tail onto a tapestry needle. Draw the needle through the remaining stitches, pull taut, and bring the tail to the inside of the hat.

Finish

Weave in the ends and block as desired.

Lovely Ribbed Hat | Purl Soho