Insight Hat

Insight Hat by Kate Heppell

What is Being Made

The Insight Hat is a knitted hat with a finished circumference of 58cm, designed by Kate Heppell as an independent designer project. This intermediate-level knitting pattern features colorwork and is available as a downloadable PDF. The hat showcases a herringbone pattern throughout and can serve as a practice project for knitters looking to develop colorwork skills before attempting the Insight sweater.

Knitting Techniques Used

This pattern employs several key knitting techniques suitable for intermediate knitters. The primary technique is stranded colorwork, which involves carrying two colors of yarn throughout the knitting process. The pattern emphasizes the importance of carrying the contrast color yarn uppermost to ensure a neat reverse side. The hat features a herringbone pattern as its main design element, which requires careful attention to stitch placement and color changes. The crown section offers knitters a choice between following a chart (Chart C) or written instructions based on Chart A, allowing flexibility in how the decreases are worked.

Stitches Used

• Knit (K) – The fundamental stitch used throughout the stockinette stitch base
• Purl (P) – Used in combination with knit stitches to create texture and pattern
• Knit 2 Together (Ktog) – A decrease stitch used in the crown shaping section
• Stockinette Stitch (St st) – The base stitch used for measuring tension and forming the hat fabric
• Herringbone Pattern – A colorwork pattern created through strategic placement of main color and contrast color stitches

Materials Required

Yarn: Wendy Merino DK in two colors – one ball each of Red (main color) and White (contrast color). This DK weight yarn provides 118 meters per 50-gram ball and is made from 100% Merino wool, offering softness and breathability ideal for a hat.

Needles: 3.5mm circular needles measuring 40cm in length. If not using the magic loop technique, 3.5mm double-pointed needles (DPNs) of the same size are required for working the crown decreases.

Additional Supplies: Four stitch markers are needed to track pattern repeats and shaping sections throughout the knitting process.

Tension and Sizing

The pattern specifies a tension of 18 stitches by 26 rows over 10cm when measured over stockinette stitch colorwork. Achieving this tension is essential for the hat to reach its finished circumference of 58cm. Knitters should swatch before beginning to ensure proper fit.