I was not quite sure that I would publish new patterns any time soon. Not because I wasn't designing and knitting my own stuff... It was the same thing: knit or write about it? Does Ravelry really need one more triangular shawl pattern? Or something cute for a little girl? A pattern that requires perfect knit and crochet gauge combination? I don't think so...
On the other hand, it doesn't help that my little family doesn't live in Innsbruck any more. Very expensive, having such a glorious view... We moved to Upper Austria, so that I can keep a different kind of glorious: my daughter growing while I absorb it all, because I don't have to go to work just to pay the rent.
The reason why I do publish a pattern is simple. I had small amount of yarn in my stash with lovely color changes and so soft that it was perfect for some brioche knitting: Alta Moda Super Baby Fine Degradé. I was looking for a pattern for a two color brioche hat for Lulu and it was rather funny to find out that appart from the very basic ones, there were only a few patterns not for sale. I might be wrong, but I only found 4 or 5. It was not what I wanted, I like those hats that come divided into segments, it seemed a good idea for my yarn. The pattern I liked the most was Magic Brioche by Katrin Schubert, so you might say this was my direct inspiration. I love the idea of a perfect reversible hat, like what she did on the wrong side of the hat.
I do understand that designers sell their patterns because there's a lot of work behind it, but in this case I find it just a little bit unfair. As a ''low-budget knitter'' I would say that in this case almost all cost falls on the knitter. He or she buys the pattern, has to choose the appropriate yarn (it has to be soft enough) and if there's only one size, make even more adjustments. The end result depends on his or hers knitting skills, because mistakes are not that easily fixed. I just think that it's a greater effort to knit this kind of a hat then design it, since basic brioche increases and decreases can create plenty of difference in the end result based on how you distribute them, while you only have to understand and learn them once. I hope I'm realistic, I am a mathematician, after all.
So, here is my pattern. The yarn I used looks like a tiny chain filled with air, it takes only 25g to get 115m, but it doesn't produce a very stretchy fabric in general. I can imagine that most other yarns would produce a different, even stretchier look. The instructions clearly refer to two hats I knitted for Lulu and myself, but almost anything can be adjusted. Basicaly choose the yarn that works well with brioche and cast on a number of stitches that can be divided by 10. The cast on method I describe is just a suggestion as well as the height of the brim or the entire hat. In my opinion the hats that I made look better with the brighter yarn showing on the brioche ridges, just like below. Choose the solid colors, choose gradient yarn,... It's all up to you, anyway!
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| The wider (Adult size) hat with the right side showing and narrower (Child/Small adult size) with the wrong side showing |
The skill level for this hat is medium to advanced, if you are comfortable with knitting two color brioche rib, this pattern should not be a problem. The brim is entirely two color brioche rib, and the main part I named Brioche cable pattern contains only two rows that are essentially different than that. If you're strugling, maybe you should try knitting That Special Toddler Hat first, since the cast on and the brim are the same. (Just be sure to follow both patterns carefully, since I changed the way the decreases are made comparing to this older pattern. I don't use any kind of standard notation for brioche knitting, so each pattern stands on its own.)
If you would prefer to get the pattern on Ravelry (more of a printer friendly version), here is the link:
Autumn Brioche Hat
Yarn: Worsted weight yarn in two different colors, less than 100m (110 yards) each, I used two balls of Alta Moda Super Baby Fine Degradé
Needles and tools: A set of 4mm DPNs (or a long 4mm circular needle for magic loop), tapestry needle, some scrap yarn
Necessary technique: two color brioche knitting in the round, basic brioche increases and decreases, usual k2tog, ssk, yo skills
Gauge: 20 stitches for 10cm in two color brioche stitch, laid flat without stretching
Sizes: Child/Small adult [Adult]
Finished size: 40 [50]cm at cast-on edge without stretching, 19cm height
Important note on the sizing: Two sizes are given, the instructions for the larger hat will be given in the brackets [ ]. The hat is designed to fit losely, almost without stretching. Since brioche fabric is very stretchy, if you wish to make an adult hat with a tighter fit and more defined stitches, choose the smaller size or adjust the number of stitches to the yarn you are using. Casting on any number of stitches in two color brioche in the round that can be divided by 10 and following the rest of the instructions will produce a nice reversible hat.
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| A 3 year old wearing the hat in Child/Small Adult size, plenty of room to grow |
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| My hat in Adult size, nice and cosy |
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| I could also wear the smaller size, it fits and the stitches are on display |
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| This yarn definitely reminds me of autumn |
ABBREVIATIONS
Repeat between * *, st - stitch, MC - main color, CC - contrasting color, k - knit, p - purl, yo - yarn over, DPN - double pointed needle
Slstwyb - slip the following stitch with the yarn in the back
Slstwyf - slip the following stitch with the yarn in the front
Slstyo - slip stitch yarn over - move the yarn to the front of the work, slip the following stitch, yarn over
Brk - brioche knit - knit the stitch together with its yarn over
Brp - brioche purl - purl the stitch together with its yarn over
Rsbd - right slanted brioche decrease - knit the first stitch on the left needle together with its yarn over, move it back to left hand needle, pass the following stitch over, pass the following stitch with its yarn over over, move the stitch to the right hand needle (two stitches decreased)
Lsbd - left slanted brioche decrease - slip the stitch with its yarn over as if to knit it, slip the following stitch as if to knit, knit the following stitch with its yarn over, pass the slipped stitches over (two stitches decreased)
Brpinc - purl the stitch together with its yarn over without slipping them from the left hand needle, yarn over, brp, keeping the new sts rather tight (two stitches increased)
Brpdec - move the yarn to the front of the work, slip the following 2 stitches and a yarn over the same way as if to purl through the back loop, purl the following stitch, pass the sliped stitches and a yarn over over (2 stitches decreased, if this is two complicated for you, purling three stitches and a yarn over together also works)
The number of stitches indicated does not include the yarn overs, stitch with a yarn over counts as one stitch.
CAST ON
To cast on, you need a piece of scrap yarn. Using this yarn and a DPN, cast on loosely 40 [50]st or any number of stitches that can be divided by 5. Take two ends of your working yarn, MC and CC, and tie them together. First row is worked in the right side color, so this is the point where you decide which side of the hat you wish to display. At the end of each row or round you switch. During the first or second row you should distribute the stitches to 3 or 4 DPNs in a way that is the most comfortable for you.
Row 1 (MC): *k1, yo* until the end (80[100]st or a multiple of 10 st), don't turn
Row 2 (CC): *slstwyb, p1* until the end
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| Before joining to work in the round you should have something like this |
Round 1 (MC): *k1, slstwyf* until the end
Round 2 (CC): *slstwyb, p1* until the end
You can now unravel the piece of scrap yarn used for the cast on.
Alternatively, you can cast on 80[100] st or a multiple of 10 st using any method you choose, making sure the cast on edge is stretchy enough.
THE BRIM
You continue in two color brioche in the round for the brim.
Round 3 (MC): *k1, slstyo* until the end
Round 4 (CC): *slstyo, brp* until the end
Round 5 (MC): *brk, slstyo* until the end
Repeat rounds 4 and 5, ending with round 4 until the work measures 4cm or the desired length of the brim.
MAIN PART
Brioche cable pattern (20 rounds):
Round 1 (MC): *rsbd, slstyo, brk, slstyo, lsbd, slstyo* until the end (48[60]st)
Round 2 (CC): * **slstyo, brpinc** 2 times, slstyo, brp* until the end (80[100]st, some of the yarn overs are not there and colors are distributed differently)
Round 3 (MC): * **brk,slstyo, k, slstyo,** 2 times, brk, slstyo* until the end (80[100]st, every other stitch has a usual yarn over)
Round 4 (CC): *slstyo, brp* until the end
Round 5 (MC): *brk, slstyo* until the end
Round 6 (CC): *slstyo, brp* until the end
Rounds 7-8: Same as Rounds 5-6
Rounds 9-12: Same as Rounds 1-4
Rounds 13-20: Repeat Rounds 5-6 4 times
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| Knitting the main part (right side) |
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| Knitting the main part (wrong side) |
Repeat the Brioche cable pattern until the hat measures approx. 16cm or 3cm less than the desired length, ending with Round 1 or Round 9 (48[60]st) and CC yarn ready to continue.
THE CROWN
For the following 4 rounds repeat Rounds 4-5 of the Brioche cable pattern two times, then knit a round same as Round 4 of the Brioche cable pattern.
Next round (MC): *slip stitch with its yo as if to knit, knit the following st, slip st and yo over, brk, knit following two st and a yo together, slstyo* until the end (32[40]st, some of the yarn overs are not there and colors are distributed differently)Next round (CC): slstwyb, *slstyo, brpdec* until the last two st of the round, move the MC yarn to the back and work a brpdec over these two st and the first st of the round that was sliped before (16[20]st, every other stitch has a usual yarn over)
Next round (MC): *brk, slstyo* until the end
Next round (CC): *slstyo, brp* until the end
Repeat these two rounds once more.
Next round (MC): *slip stitch together with its yarn over as if to knit, knit the following stitch, pass the sliped st and the yo over* until the end (8[10]st)
FINISHING
Cut both yarns leaving long tails, thread the CC yarn into a needle and pass it through the remaining stitches, then tie a firm knot with MC yarn. Weave in ends neatly to get a reversible hat.
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