Rolled Rib Hat
With its graphic 2×2 ribbing softened by a gentle rolled edge, our Rolled Rib Hat feels like a classic, but its yarn is the newest addition to our family… What a warm welcome for our very beautiful new Echo Cashmere!
Ninety-five percent recycled cashmere, Echo Cashmere gives a second life to beautiful fibers that might otherwise go to waste from the production process of cashmere yarn and sweaters and from recycled sweaters, too. The 5% of other fibers in Echo Cashmere depend on the sweaters being recycled. It’s mostly wool, sometimes a little nylon, but always fiber being saved!
Echo Cashmere is three delicate plies spun together into an elegant fingering weight that you hold double to knit your Rolled Rib Hat. The pattern’s ribbing adds the bounce-back you want in a hat but also lends a timeless beauty fitting for this cashmere yarn.
Because Echo Cashmere is dyed over a mix of cashmere fibers, each color in the palette has a layered richness and depth… A gorgeous earthiness that you will love!
And there’s even more to get excited about… Because this fiber is recycled it comes at a lower cost, giving you the chance to cast on with cashmere for a bit less. You can knit all but the largest Rolled Rib Hat with just one 50-gram ball of Echo Cashmere and experience the sheer joy of cashmere yarn!
Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, you’ll love exploring all of our other yarn collections! Discover over 45 thoughtfully designed yarns in nearly every natural fiber and in every spectacular color you can imagine. Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn store, where every skein is created with care and your creativity in mind!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Gianna Mueller. Click here to see more of Gianna’s designs!
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoRolledRibHat, and #PurlSohoEchoCashmere. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 1 (1, 1, 1, 2) ball(s) of Purl Soho’s Echo Cashmere, 95% recycled cashmere and 5% other fibers. Each ball is 236 yards/ 50 grams; approximately 135 (175, 220, 235, 310) total yards required.
- US 6 (4 mm), 16-inch circular needles, for Kid and Adult sizes
- A set of US 6 double pointed needles, for all sizes
- Stitch markers, including one unique
NOTE: We used the entire ball for the Adult Small/Medium size, so if you want to be sure you have enough, consider ordering an extra ball. If you don’t end up needing it, you can return it for a refund within 30 days of purchase, or within 6 months for store credit. Our Return Policy has all the details!
GAUGE
18½ stitches and 30 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch with yarn doubled (see Notes)
SIZES
Baby (Toddler, Kid, Adult Small/Medium, Adult Medium/Large)
- Finished Circumference: 13¾ (15½, 17¼, 19, 20¾) inches, comfortably stretching to approximately 14-16 (16-18, 18-20, 20-22, 22-24) inches
- Finished Height (from cast-on edge, unrolled): 7 (8, 9, 9½, 10½) inches
Samples: We knit the Baby size in Flour Sack, the Kid size in Toasted Pecan, the Adult Small/Medium in Wild Currant, and the Adult Medium/Large in Osprey Nest.
NOTES
YARN DOUBLED
You will double the yarn throughout this pattern, pulling two strands together. To do this, you can 1) pull one strand from the inside of the ball and one strand for the outside, or 2) wind your ball into two separate but equally sized balls, or 3) if your size requires two balls, pull one strand from each ball.
PATTERN
BRIM
Using a basic Long Tail Cast On, cast on 64 (72, 80, 88, 96) stitches onto circular needles for Kid and Adult sizes or double pointed needles for Baby and Toddler sizes.
Place unique marker and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.
Knit 7 rows even.
Next Round: *P2, k2, repeat from * to end of round.
Repeat last round for 1½ (1¾, 2, 2, 2¼) inches.
BODY
Knit every round for 2½ (3, 3½, 3¾, 4¼) inches. [Piece measures 5 (5¾, 6½, 6¾, 7½) inches from unrolled cast-on edge]
CROWN
NOTE: If using circular needles, change to double pointed needles when necessary.
Set-Up Round: Remove unique end-of-round marker, k3, replace unique marker for new end-of-round, [k16 (18, 20, 22, 24), place marker] 3 times, knit to end of round. [4 stitch markers placed, including end-of-round marker]
Decrease Round: [Slip slip knit, knit to 2 stitches before next marker, knit 2 together, slip marker] 4 times. [8 stitches decreased]
Next Round: Knit to end of round.
Repeat last two rounds 6 (7, 8, 9, 10) more times. [8 stitches remain]
Cut yarn and thread tail onto a tapestry needle. Sew tail through remaining stitches. Pull taut and bring tail to inside of hat to weave in.
FINISHING
Weave in any remaining ends and gently block.
LEARN ABOUT ECHO CASHMERE + ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL YARNS
We used Echo Cashmere for this project because it is a wonderfully affordable way to experience the joy of knitting with one of the word’s softest fibers! A delicate fingering-weight yarn, it has the lightness and warmth of cashmere, and since it’s recycled, also the beauty of second chances!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our growing collection of free Echo Cashmere knitting patterns and cast on!
More Fingering-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of fingering-weight yarns
- If you want to use a different yarn, be sure to take the time to get the correct gauge. Need help? Check our All About Gauge Tutorial!
More Yarns With Similar Fibers
- Shop cashmere yarn
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
Would the linen quill work for this hat pattern? I have a gifted skein that I’ve been looking to use for a hat. Would I still double it? I’m new to knitting and somewhat confused about weights of yarn. Thanks!
Hi Stephanie,
Thank you for reaching out! Linen Quill would make for a very cozy Rolled Rib Hat! And yes, you would still double it since Linen Quill is also a fingering weight yarn like Echo Cashmere. With any yarn substitutions, we also highly recommend doing a gauge swatch to make sure your gauge is consistent with the pattern. You might find that you need to adjust your needle size! Here’s our guide on swatching, All About Gauge, if you’d like more information. I hope this helps!
Happy knitting!
Cat
Hi, just wondering if it would be possible to have your patterns in straight needles as well as circular needles, as I only knit in straight needles and I would like to make a lot of your patterns. I just feel so left out.
Many thanks for your time.
Hi Caroline,
Thank you so much for leaving your feedback! We definitely don’t want you to feel left out and apologize for making you feel excluded…
While many of our patterns require circular needles, either because they’re too wide to fit comfortably on straight needles or use special techniques (like working in the round and turn + slides), we still have a big collection of patterns that can be made with straight needles!
I recommend browsing through our collection of housewares and scarves to see if there’s anything that catches your eye. If there’s another type of project you’d prefer to make with straight needles though, we’d love to know! Please feel free to write back here or email us at [email protected] if you have anything more specific in mind so we can pass that along to the design team. We promise any requests like this don’t go into a dusty suggestion box!
All the best,
Cat
Is the pattern available for the sweater the model is wearing? It’s really cute.
Hi Nicole,
Thank you for writing in! The sweater the model is wearing is store-bought actually. Our Twisted Rib Pullover or Copley by Julie Hoover knit to a shorter length would make great alternatives to the one seen here! I hope this helps but please let us know if you have any questions!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Hi! are we to decrease on either side of the 4 markers (SSK then k2tog) to achieve a decrease of 8 stitches per round? Or do we decrease as written and decrease 4 stitches per round? Thanks!
Hi Ann,
Thanks for writing in! Each time you repeat the Decrease Round, you will decrease by 8 stitches. On the Decrease Round, you repeat the instructions within the brackets 4 times. Those instructions contain one ssk and one k2tog, so repeated 4 times ends up being a total of 8 decrease stitches!
I hope this helps clarify things, and please let me know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Lili
I am loving making this hat! Do you count the stiches on the needle when you measure?
Hi Sophie,
Yes, I’d recommend counting the live stitches when you measure the length of the hat! That round will factor into the height overall.
All the best,
Lili
Hi there, you have this pattern displaying in today’s email about Plein Air, which is a DK yarn. I assume it would work but you wouldn’t double?
Or do you have a better Plein Air hat recommendation–I am looking for an all-ages pattern.
Hi Mary,
This hat would be fantastic knit up in Plein Air! You would need to just use one strand of that yarn in order to match the gauge. Some other hats that would work for Plein Air are the Darling Hat, the Watch Cap, and the Classic Ribbed Hat. Happy knitting!
All the best,
Lili
I plan to knit this hat without the rolled edge. I’m assuming I can do that and just follow the same measurements as though the pattern states – in other words, knit the rib and then knit until the hat is at the measurement where I will need to start decreasing for the top?
Thanks!
Hi Shannon,
Yes, that’s exactly right! Happy knitting!
All the best,
Lili
Love this beanie! I bought some Linen Quill in 2 contrasting colors (Pine Cone and True Turquoise) to knit it up in. However, a question re: needles. Would I / could I knit the rolled brim and the 2×2 rib in a needle size one size smaller than the body? Or perhaps just the 2×2 rib? Or am I just overthinking this and making it more complicated than it needs to be?
I find rolled brims never feel quite secure on my head; thus the reason I was attracted to the 2×2 rib above the roll. Your guidance would be so appreciated.
Hi James,
Thank you for writing in! We are always happy to answer any questions that may arise as you knit one of our patterns. For this pattern, we used a single needle size throughout the hat. The only time the needles will change is when you begin the decreases and find that the circumference becomes too small for the 16″ circulars at which point you can switch to DPNs or magic loop. We found the rolled brim didn’t much affect the wearability of the hat at all as the 2×2 ribbing cinched the brim enough to stay snug on the wearer’s head. I hope this helps but please let us know if you have any more questions.
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Thanks so much for your response, Gavriella! Much appreciated. In the meantime, I must add that I am one who SO misses the shop on Broome St! The staff was ALWAYS super helpful and it was great to see and feel the yarns in person. You all are very sorely missed here in NYC!
Thank you so much for your kind words! I will pass your message along to our team as I think they will all enjoy hearing that!
I have a question about the meaning of “yarn doubled.”
This is not the same as double knitting, correct?
When casting on, do the numbers refer to one strand or two? In other words, would 64 appear as 128 on the needles?
Thanks,
Helen
Hi Helen,
That’s a great question! You are absolutely correct that yarn doubled simply means holding two strands of yarn together at once as if they were a single strand. Since there are two loose strands, they will indeed appear as two stitches on the needle but you will work them together as if they were a single strand. Since you are holding the yarn doubled, the stitches will become more apparent as you continue to knit the other rounds as they slightly separate from the other stitches giving a better idea of which strands are a single stitch! I hope this helps!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Which is the average adult size? Example: cast on
64(72, 80, 88, 96).
Hi Cheryl,
Thank you for reaching out! The last two sizes are listed as our adult medium and large but you can see the full sizing information under the SIZES section of the pattern. I am also including that information here for quick reference:
Baby (Toddler, Kid, Adult Small/Medium, Adult Medium/Large)
Finished Circumference: 13¾ (15½, 17¼, 19, 20¾) inches, comfortably stretching to approximately 14-16 (16-18, 18-20, 20-22, 22-24) inches
Finished Height (from cast-on edge, unrolled): 7 (8, 9, 9½, 10½) inches
Samples: We knit the Baby size in Flour Sack, the Kid size in Toasted Pecan, the Adult Small/Medium in Wild Currant, and the Adult Medium/Large in Osprey Nest.
I hope this helps but please let us know if you have any other questions!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
How many skeins of plein air would I need for the adult (largest) size of this hat? Thanks!
Hi Nancy,
I’d recommend 2 skeins of Plein Air and knitting a size down with larger needles. Since this pattern was designed for fingering weight yarns, you will want to make some adjustments so your hat doesn’t come out too large. I’d recommend knitting a gauge swatch, measuring your stitches per inch and then multiplying that number by your head circumference. Then you can choose the size that has the closest stitch count to that number. I hope this helps!
All the best,
Gavriella
The patter calls for rolled hat it says use 4 double me pointed needles. Can you continue pattern with round needle instead if using 4 double pointed needles? How would know amount of stitches to put on round needle get correct fit?
Hi Wendy,
For this pattern, you can use US 6 (4 mm), 16-inch circular needles for the majority of the hat. We just recommend using DPNs once your decreases get hard to work in the crown section. That way you are able to work a smaller circumference but you can definitely use magic loop if you prefer!
All the best,
Gavriella
I do not understand where to place markers when starting the crown
The only one I have is when it changed from the rib to straight knitting – am doing the adult med co 88
Hi Tammy,
Thanks for writing in! To begin the Set-Up Round, you knit 3 stitches and then replace the end-of-round marker for the new end-of-round. Then, for your size, you knit 22 stitches, place a stitch marker, knit 22 more stitches, place another marker, knit 22 more stitches, place a marker, and then knit to the end of round. You’ll end up with 4 markers on your needles, each with 22 stitches in between them!
All the best,
Lili
Ok- that is simple – easy to understand
Thank you
Tammy Harrison
Ok 1 more question – was reading some of the questions above because my 1 round decreases did not come out right I don’t think
So is it a ssk at each marker & a k2tog
4 each between markers?
Hi Tammy,
You will work an ssk directly after each marker, and a k2tog directly after each marker! Let me know if that makes more sense now!
All the best,
Lili
You say to use size 6 circular needles for kid and adult sizes. What about baby and toddler?
Hi Amy,
For the Baby and Toddler sizes, you’ll need to use DNPs since the finished circumferences are less than 16 inches! Alternatively, you could use longer circular needles for magic loop.
All the best,
Lili