Where there are knits, there are purls! Our so-called Inside Out Knit Hat pattern in our hand-dyed Lovebird yarn relegates the knits to the inside and brings the purls into the light. Inside out, knit side in, tomato, to-mah-to!

Inside Out Knit Hat | Purl Soho

Reverse stockinette, in this case, is a wonderfully nubby field of color, like a bowlful of jelly beans, so incredibly tactile and interesting. We love it, but like most knitters, we prefer knitting to purling… So don’t worry, you knit this one, then turn it inside out! We couldn’t resist topping our hat with a great big pom pom like a fluffy cloud of cotton candy—a perfect match for Lovebird’s super popular Candy Shop color—made with our Super Soft Merino yarn.

Inside Out Knit Hat | Purl Soho

The beauty, of course, is in our Lovebird yarn, created in partnership with one of everyone’s favorite spinners and dyers, Manos Del Uruguay. Lovebird is full of spunk and adventure, beauty and joy, and every skein is handspun and hand dyed by Manos Del Uruguay’s artisan-owned cooperatives.

Inside Out Knit Hat | Purl Soho

Manos’s skilled artisans harness the rainbow with every skein, dipping single plies of 100% superwash merino wool into kettles of mind-boggling color before loosely twisting two plies together to make a plump bulky-weight yarn bursting with snuggly softness. And it’s machine-washable, too! Choose from a palette of ten extraordinary colors, a mix of super-colorful multis and more subtle semi-solids.

Inside Out Knit Hat | Purl Soho
Inside Out Knit Hat | Purl Soho

Lovebird’s shifting, raucous colors make every stitch of your Inside Out Knit Hat a delightful surprise. With such a soft, plump yarn on your needles and a new color or tone always just a stitch or two away, you’ll be done knitting before you know it! Just a skein or two makes each hat, but we doubt you’ll be able to stop at one color. Thank you, Manos Del Uruguay, for igniting our imaginations and for taking us on your joy ride!

Inside Out Knit Hat | Purl Soho

Originally designed by Purl Soho designer, Jake Canton. Click here to see even more of Jake’s designs!

Story written by Andrea Lotz for Purl Soho.

Want to print this pattern? On desktop, find the “print” icon in the right margin, and on mobile, scroll to the end of the pattern for it. Use the on-screen instructions to remove anything you don’t want to print!

Materials

Inside Out Knit Hat | Purl Soho
  • 1 (1, 1-2, 2, 2, 2) skein(s) of Purl Soho’s Lovebird, 100% superwash merino wool yarn. Each skein of this chunky/bulky weight yarn is approximately 75-85 yards/ 100-110 grams; approximately 53 (66, 95, 116, 136, 154) yards required. We used the color Candy Shop.
  • US 10½ (6.5 mm), 16-inch circular needles
  • A set of US 10½ double pointed needles
  • A stitch marker

PLEASE NOTE: Because this yarn is hand spun in small batches, yardages may vary between skeins. Our yardage requirements err on the side of caution. In particular, the Kid-size hat may not require both skeins. If you don’t end up needing it, you can return unwound yarn for a refund within 30 days of purchase, or within 6 months, for store credit. Our Return Policy has all the details!

For Pom Pom (Optional)

  • 1 skein of Purl Soho’s Super Soft Merino, 100% merino wool yarn. Each skein is approximately 84 yards; approximately 20 (20, 35, 50, 50, 50) yards required. We used the color Ballet Pink.
  • Purl Soho’s Pom Pom Maker Set, Small + Large size (for Baby and Toddler sizes) or Extra Large + Jumbo size (for Kid, Adult Small, Adult Medium and Adult Large sizes)

Gauge

10½ stitches and 18 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

Sizes

For help choosing a hat size, check out our complete guide on How to Knit the Right Hat Size!

Baby (Toddler, Kid, Adult Small, Adult Medium, Adult Large)

  • Finished Circumference: 13¼ (15¼, 17¼, 19, 21, 22¾) inches
  • Finished Height: 6½ (7½, 8½, 9½, 10½, 11) inches

SAMPLE: We knit the Adult Small size.

Notes

Construction

You knit this hat inside out, starting with a short reverse stockinette brim, then continuing in stockinette stitch. At the end, turn it purl-side out to add a pom pom and to wear!

Pattern

Brim

Cast on 35 (40, 45, 50, 55, 60) 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.

Work reverse stockinette stitch, purling every round, for 3 (3, 3, 4, 4, 4) rounds.

Body

Knit every round for 5½ (6, 6½, 7, 7½, 8) inches from cast-on edge, unrolled.

Crown

  • Baby: Start with Decrease Round 6.
  • Toddler: Start with Decrease Round 5.
  • Kid: Start with Decrease Round 4.
  • Adult Small: Start with Decrease Round 3.
  • Adult Medium: Start with Decrease Round 2.
  • Adult Large: Start with Decrease Round 1.

Decrease Round 1: *K2tog, k10, repeat from * to end of round. [55 stitches remain]

Knit 2 rounds.

Decrease Round 2: *K3, k2tog, k6, repeat from * to end of round. [50 stitches remain]

Knit 2 rounds.

Decrease Round 3: *K6, k2tog, k2, repeat from * to end of round. [45 stitches remain]

Knit 2 rounds

Decrease Round 4: *K2tog, k7, repeat from * to end of round. [40 stitches remain]

Knit 1 round.

Decrease Round 5: *K2, k2tog, k4, repeat from * to end of round. [35 stitches remain]

Knit 1 round.

Decrease Round 6: *K4, k2tog, k1, repeat from * to end of round. [30 stitches remain]

Knit 1 round.

Decrease Round 7: *K2tog, k4, repeat from * to end of round. [25 stitches remain]

Knit 1 round.

Decrease Round 8: *K2, k2tog, k1, repeat from * to end of round. [20 stitches remain]

Knit 1 round.

Decrease Round 9: *K2tog, k2, repeat from * to end of round. [15 stitches remain]

Knit 1 round.

Decrease Round 10: *K1, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [10 stitches remain]

Decrease Round 11: *K2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [5 stitches remain]

Cut yarn and pull tail through remaining stitches.

Weave the ends into the knit side, turn piece purl-side out, and wet block before attaching the pom pom.

Pom Pom (optional)

If you’re using Purl Soho’s Pom Pom Maker Set, use the Large (Large, Extra Large, Jumbo, Jumbo, Jumbo) Pom Pom Maker, the 2½ (2½, 3, 4, 4, 4)-inch Trim Guide, and a skein of Super Soft Merino. Follow the instructions in our Pom Pom Tutorial.

Attach Pom Pom

Thread each pom pom tail separately through the top of the crown to the inside of the hat. Tie the tails into a knot, then thread the tails up through the pom pom itself and trim them flush with the pom pom.

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

Inside Out Knit Hat | Purl Soho
Inside Out Knit Hat | Purl Soho

LEARN ABOUT LOVEBIRD + ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL YARNS

Only Lovebird will bring this level of charisma, adventure, and joy to this project! Created in collaboration with the legendary Manos Del Uruguay, this is a handspun and hand-dyed 100% merino wool yarn that is also machine-washable… All the good things in one! Lovebird is a super quick chunky– to super bulky-weight yarn that comes in all the very best colors!

More Free Knitting Patterns

More Bulky- And Super Bulky-Weight Yarns

More Yarns With Similar Fibers

Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our knitting patterns (including tons of free knitting patterns) and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 55 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 1,000s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!