Three-Yarn Hat For Giving
Wearing our Three-Yarn Hat For Giving is like resting your head in a bunny den… Ooh, cozy!
The companion to our Three-Yarn Scarf For Giving, both use a very snuggly combo of three yarns: Super Soft Merino for big, cozy squishiness; mohair-wool-silk Brume for more heft and some downy softness; and Tussock, the little mohair-silk kicker.
Our Three-Yarn Hat Bundles have a skein of each yarn in a beautiful color combo that matches our Three-Yarn Scarf Bundles. They also come in a Purl Soho tote bag with a postcard that includes the link to this free pattern, a perfectly ready gift for the knitters in your life!
So scrumptiously soft and wonderfully warm, the Three-Yarn Hat For Giving really is the bunny den of hats and the gift of the season!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Gaby Bush, based on the Three-Yarn Scarf For Giving by Joelle Hoverson.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoThreeYarnHatForGiving, #PurlSohoSuperSoftMerino, #PurlSohoTussock, and #PurlSohoBrume. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
Our Three-Yarn Hat Bundle includes… (NOTE: We no longer offer the Three-Yarn Hat Bundle)
- Yarn A: 1 skein of Purl Soho’s Super Soft Merino, 100% merino wool. Each skein is 87 yards/ 100g; approximately 54 (73, 87) total yards required.
- Yarn B: 1 skein of Purl Soho’s Tussock, 60% super fine kid mohair and 40% silk. Each skein is 328 yards/ 25 grams; approximately 64 (87, 104) total yards required.
- Yarn C: 1 skein of Purl Soho’s Brume, 58% mohair, 25% wool, and 17% silk. Each skein is 273 yards/ 50 grams; approximately 53 (73, 87) yards required. (NOTE: We no longer offer Brume, but choose from one of our other sport weight yarns.)
- A postcard with a link to this free pattern
- A Purl Soho cotton tote bag
You’ll also need…
- US 11 (8 mm), 16-inch circular needles
- A set of US 11 double pointed needles
- A jumbo stitch marker
- Optional: Purl Soho’s Pom Pom Maker Set, Small + Large size
Choose from nine beautiful color combos (NOTE: some palettes are no longer available)…
TOP ROW, left to right
Coquina: Yarn A, Super Soft Merino in Ballet Pink; Yarn B, Tussock in Tea Rose; Yarn C, Brume in Pink Fog
Guava: Yarn A, Super Soft Merino in Peachy Pink; Yarn B, Tussock in Pink Joy; Yarn C, Brume in Bright Thistle
Thistle: Yarn A, Super Soft Merino in Crocus Bud; Yarn B, Tussock in Bright Thistle; Yarn C, Brume in Alpine Phlox
MIDDLE ROW
Cocoon: Yarn A, Super Soft Merino in Heirloom White; Yarn B, Tussock in Cloud Blue; Yarn C, Brume in Silver Needle
Pansy: Yarn A, Super Soft Merino in Wild Violet; Yarn B, Tussock in Blue Black; Yarn C, Brume in Amethyst Purple
Eclipse: Yarn A, Super Soft Merino in Soft Black; Yarn B, Tussock in Blue Black; Yarn C, Brume in Blue Black
BOTTOM ROW
Canopy: Yarn A, Super Soft Merino in Reef Green; Yarn B, Tussock in Balsam Green; Yarn C, Brume in Cypress Green
Twilight: Yarn A, Super Soft Merino in Sapphire Blue; Yarn B, Tussock in Cerulean Sea; Yarn C, Brume in Blue Fjord
Lapis: Yarn A, Super Soft Merino in Cobalt Blue; Yarn B, Tussock in Lapis Lazuli; Yarn C, Brume in Electric Lapis
GAUGE
14 stitches and 12 rounds = 4 inches in 1×1 rib, unstretched, holding Yarns A, B, and C together
SIZES
Kid (Adult Small/Medium, Adult Large/Extra Large)
To fit actual head circumference of 18-20 (20-22, 22-24) inches
- Finished circumference: 14¼ (17¼, 20) inches unstretched
- Finished height: 8 (9¼, 9¾) inches
Samples: We knit our hats in size Adult Small/Medium.
NOTE
HOLD YARNS TOGETHER
Throughout this pattern, you will hold one strand of each yarn together. Don’t worry about them lining up or getting tangled. As long as you catch every yarn in every stitch, it’ll all work out!
PATTERN
BEGIN
Holding one strand of Yarns A, B, and C together (see Note), cast 50 (60, 70) stitches onto circular needles. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Place marker and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.
Round 1: *P1, k1, repeat from * to end of round.
Repeat Round 1 until piece measures 5 (5½, 5½) inches from cast-on edge.
CROWN
Round 1: *[P1, k1] 4 (5, 6) times, knit two together (k2tog), repeat from * to end of round. [45 (55, 65) stitches remain]
Round 2: *[P1, k1] 3 (4, 5) times, p1, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [40 (50, 60) stitches remain]
Round 3: *[P1, k1] 3 (4, 5) times, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [35 (45, 55) stitches remain]
Round 4: *[P1, k1] 2 (3, 4) times, p1, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [30 (40, 50) stitches remain]
Round 5: *[P1, k1] 2 (3, 4) times, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [25 (35, 45) stitches remain]
Round 6: *[P1, k1] 1 (2, 3) time(s), p1, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [20 (30, 40) stitches remain]
Round 7: *[P1, k1] 1 (2, 3) time(s), k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [15 (25, 35) stitches remain]
ADULT SIZES ONLY
Round 8: *[P1, k1] – (1, 2) time(s), p1, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [– (20, 30) stitches remain]
Round 9: *[P1, k1] – (1, 2) time(s), k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [– (15, 25) stitches remain]
ADULT LARGE/EXTRA LARGE ONLY
Round 10: *P1, k1, p1, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [20 stitches remain]
Round 11: *P1, k1, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [15 stitches remain]
ALL SIZES
Next Round: *P1, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [10 stitches remain]
Next Round: *K2tog, repeat from * to end. [5 stitches remain]
FINISHING
Cut the tail and thread it through the remaining stitches. Bring the tail to the inside of the hat. Weave in ends.
POM POM (OPTIONAL)
If you’re using Purl Soho’s Pom Pom Maker Set, use the Large Pom Pom Maker, the 2½ (2½, 3)-inch Trim Guide, and your leftover Tussock and Brume to make a fun and fluffy pom pom. Hold one strand of Tussock and Brume together and follow the instructions for a sportweight yarn 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.
Is it possible to make this hat a little longer, so it wouldn’t fit so close to the head? Maybe long enough to to give it a little cuff?
Hi Joyce,
Thanks for writing in. You can absolutely make this hat longer! Just follow the pattern for the body for as many inches as you’d like and then continue to the crown decrease section. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Thank you Lili.
Just a couple more questions…will this fit as snug as the Beginner’s Cable Hat, will this hat be able to have a cuff (too thick?) and will I have enough yarn to add inches? Thank you!
Hi Joyce,
I think that this hat will be even more snug than the Beginner’s Cable Hat! Because it’s knit in entirely 1×1 ribbing, that provides a lot of elasticity leading to a nice and snug fit. For a cuff, I’d recommend knitting a few extra inches in the body so you have enough fabric to fold up. But I don’t think it will be too thick at all. In order to add this height, you will need one more skein of Super Soft Merino, but you won’t need any more of the other two yarns!
All the best,
Lili
Would you please share hat patterns that do not use double pointed needles? I want to teach my granddaughter to knit a hat, so I am looking for a simple pattern without double pointed needles. Thank you!
Hi Kathy,
Thanks for writing in. We have a few hat patterns that do not use double pointed needles, and I’d be happy to share them with you! First, we have one of our newest patterns, the Happy Hat, which we’re really excited about. Then, we also have two older patterns: the Simple Hat and the Homestretch Hat. Hope these recommendations help!
All the best,
Lili
Can you suggest a pattern for leftover yarn? There is a lot of leftover on two skeins.Tks.
Hi Mar,
Thanks for reaching out! If you acquire a few additional skeins of Super Soft Merino, you could use the leftover Brume and Tussock for a matching scarf! You can find our corresponding scarf pattern here: Three-Yarn Scarf For Giving
I hope this helps!
Gianna
Thank you for the three-yarn scarf for giving and three-yarn hat for giving. Sometimes simplicity says it all.
Thank you for this lovely free pattern! I made my granddaughter a hat with some of my stash yarn. I had some trouble with the decreases not lining up to create those ‘rib swirls’ at the crown. Any tips for getting those right? If a decrease round doesn’t end exactly on the last stitch of the round, does it throw everything off? And should it end exactly on the last stitch of each decrease round? I’m making another hat, for my grandson, so I’m hoping to get this one right! Thank you so much!
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for reaching out. It seems to me that you may have gotten off track at some point, since you’re finding that the decrease stitches aren’t lining up and your rounds aren’t ending in the correct spot. I’m not sure exactly how that may have happened, but I can absolutely give you some tips on how to get it right on your second hat!
You might benefit from placing stitch markers throughout the round so you know exactly where to work each decrease stitch. If you’re knitting the kids size, then you would need to place a marker every 10 stitches before starting the CROWN section, and then work each decrease over the two stitches just before each marker.
I hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Hi Lili,
Thank you so much for your answer and marker tips! While I was working on my second hat, I discovered where I went wrong with my first one. I am embarrassed to say that I simply read the pattern wrong!! Somehow I ignored and left out that p1 you need (every other round) before the k2tog decreases! Duh, silly me!! I was so excited when my second hat came out properly!
Thank you again!
Lisa
How will the hat size change if I use 10.5 instead of 11 needles.
Also, I’m right on the border between an Adult size and Adult Large size (head circumference
is 22 1/2). Which size do you recommend?
Hi Linda,
Thanks for writing in. If you use size 10.5 needles, then the knit fabric will come out slightly denser, and the circumference of the hat will be a bit smaller. That will actually work out great if you make the Adult Large size with the smaller needles though! You’ll end up with a hat that’s somewhere in between the medium and large sizes, which sounds like it would fit you much better!
All the best,
Lili
Sounds like a win win since I already have both sets of the 10.5 needles. The yarn is beautiful. Thanks Lili!
Linda
Hi there, I’m wondering where in this pattern you switch to DPN’s and also whether I can use the magic loop method instead? Thanks!
Hi Emily,
Thanks for writing in. I would recommend switching to DPNs whenever the stitches don’t fit comfortably around the circular needles anymore! But you can absolutely use magic loop instead. For that, I’d recommend using 32- or 40-inch circular needles. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Thank you for this adorable pattern. How would the hat come out if it were knit with just a single strand of Super Soft Merino?
And if it were knit with just a single strand of Super Soft Merino, would US11 needles still work? Or would it be better to drop down by one needle size to 10.5?
Thanks!
Hi Nan,
Thanks for reaching out. You can certainly knit this hat with just Super Soft Merino, but you would need to make some adjustments to the stitch count so that it ends up the correct size! To figure out your cast-on number, you will want to first knit a gauge swatch in pattern (you can use either size US 10.5 or 11 needles, depending on how dense you’d like the knitted fabric to be). Once you know how many stitches you are getting per inch, you can multiply that number by the width that you would like and cast on the nearest multiple of 10. You may need to make some adjustments for the crown decreases, but as long as you make sure that your 5 stitch markers are spread out evenly, then this section will go smoothly!
All the best,
Lili
Hi!
I posted the first comment on lengthening this hat, and now that I’ve started, and I am wondering how many more inches I should add to give it a just little slouch and possibly a cuff….
(I purchased a second skein of the Merino , so I’ll have enough yarn). As I work on this I see that it is bulky /chunky and I don’t want it to be too much hat. Any suggestions? Perhaps I shouldn’t add a fold over cuff? Thanks for all your help with my angst about this cute beanie.
Hi Joyce,
Thanks for writing in! To add a bit of slouchiness and a cuff I would recommend only adding 2½ – 3 additional inches since it is a bulky hat to start!
I hope this helps!
Gianna