Soft Stripes *Free Knit Pattern*

Some of my favorite projects are the ones that I just grab some needles or a hook and a skein or two of yarn. I  go with the flow, and let the project design itself. There are no plans, no ideas of a finished design, and sometimes no idea of what it will even be when all is said and done. Seriously, one turned into a knitted vase (but that's for another day).

Anna of Moon Tower Dye Works is one of my nearest and dearest, and out of the kindness of her heart, sends me yarn on occasion, just because. This yarn was one of those, the aptly titled ''Meme Queen" on her Io Sock Base, and its been just dying to become one of my free-for-all patterns! 

This slouchy knit hat is a fun break from routine that is a perfect way to test out yarn color theory, lesser-known increases, and top-down hat construction. Pair a neutral fingering yarn with two crazy mohair colors, or a vibrant fingering yarn with two subdued mohair selections and see just how much that lace weight add-in changes the color of your project!
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An ad-free paid for version of this pattern is available on Ravelry

Skills Used

• Knit
• Purl
• Increasing

Finished Measurements
Finished Height: 13”
Finished Circumference: 19½” unstretched

Materials and Tools

• Sample uses 1 skein of Moontower Dyeworks Io Sock in colorway Meme Queen. (Fingering  weight, 75% Superwash Merino, 25% Nylon, 100 g, 460 yds) and 2 colors of laceweight mohair.
• 16’’ circulars and DPNs in size US 4 (3.5 mm), and size 3 (3.25 mm) 16’’ circulars, or size to obtain gauge
• Yarn needle
• Stitch marker to mark the beginning of round​

​Gauge
22 sts by 33 rounds = 4” in stockinette 
(size 4 needles)

Notes
Change mohair color every 8 rows.

Stitch Guide
K- Knit
P- Purl
CDI- Center Double Increase; Knit into back and the front of the next stitch on left needle, then insert left needle behind vertical strand that runs between the two stitches just made and knit strand through its back loop.

Beanie Pattern
Using size 4 DPNS, cast on 6 sts of fingering weight yarn stranded with mohair (see note). Join in the round, being careful not to twist. Place marker at beginning of round. Switch needles when stitches fit comfortably on the circulars.

Crown
Round 1: K all sts.
Round 2: [K 1, CDI 1,]three times. ~ 12 sts
Round 3:  K all sts.
Round 4: K 2 sts, [CDI 1, K 3] twice, CDI 1, K 1. ~ 18 sts
Round 5: K all sts.
Round 6: K 3 sts, [CDI 1, K 5] twice, CDI 1, K 2. ~ 24 sts
Round 7: K all sts.
Round 8: K 4 sts, [CDI 1, K 7] twice, CDI 1, K 3. ~ 30 sts
Round 9: K all sts.
Round 10: K 5 sts, [CDI 1, K 9] twice, CDI 1, K 4. ~ 36 sts
Round 11: K all sts.
Round 12: K 6 sts, [CDI 1, K 11] twice, CDI 1, K 5. ~ 42 sts
Round 13: K all sts.
Round 14: K 7 sts, [CDI 1, K 13] twice, CDI 1, K 6. ~ 48 sts
Round 15: K all sts.
Round 16: K 8 sts, [CDI 1, K 15] twice, CDI 1, K 7. ~ 54 sts
Round 17: K all sts.
Round 18: K 9 sts, [CDI 1, K 17] twice, CDI 1, K 8. ~ 60 sts
Round 19: K all sts.
Round 20: K 10 sts, [CDI 1, K 19] twice, CDI 1, K 9. ~ 66 sts
Round 21: K all sts.
Round 22: K 11 sts, [CDI 1, K 21] twice, CDI 1, K 10. ~ 72 sts
Round 23: K all sts.
Round 24: K 12 sts, [CDI 1, K 23] twice, CDI 1, K 11. ~ 78 sts
Round 25: K all sts.
Round 26: K 13 sts, [CDI 1, K 25] twice, CDI 1, K 12. ~ 84 sts
Round 27: K all sts.
Round 28: K 14 sts, [CDI 1, K 27] twice, CDI 1, K 13. ~ 90 sts
Round 29: K all sts.
Round 30: K 15 sts, [CDI 1, K 29] twice, CDI 1, K 14. ~ 96 sts
Round 31: K all sts.
Round 32: K 16 sts, [CDI 1, K 31] twice, CDI 1, K 15. ~ 102 sts
Round 33: K all sts.
Round 34: K 17 sts, [CDI 1, K 33] twice, CDI 1, K 16. ~ 108 sts

Body
Rounds 35-96: K all sts.
Brim
Switch to size 3 circulars. Maintain same color mohair strand throughout brim.
Rounds 97-112: [K 3, P 3]  eighteen times. 
Bind off using favorite stretchy bind off method. 

Finishing
Weave in all ends and block to finished measurements. Beanie may be worn with kit or purl side out with brim tucked under.