Florence

Florence Stranded Colorwork Hat by Amy Opie

What Is Being Made

Florence is a bold stranded colorwork knit hat designed by Amy Opie. This intermediate-level project features a large-scale geometric design created using four contrasting colors that work together to make a striking visual statement. The hat includes a hemmed brim construction that provides a crisp, finished edge, elevating the overall polish of the finished piece. The design draws inspiration from Florence, Alabama, a town situated near the Tennessee River that was named in 1818 by an Italian surveyor after Florence, Italy.

Knitting Techniques

Florence employs stranded colorwork knitting, a technique where multiple yarn colors are carried across the back of the work to create intricate patterned designs on the fabric surface. This method requires managing four separate colors simultaneously while knitting, making it an intermediate-level project suitable for knitters with some colorwork experience. The hat construction uses circular needles for seamless, in-the-round knitting, which is the standard approach for hat patterns. A hemming technique is incorporated into the brim, which involves creating a fold line and securing live stitches to create a neat, professional finish. The pattern specifies using a provisional cast-on method, allowing stitches to be picked up later for the hemming process.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches combined in a stranded colorwork design. Key stitches include:

• Knit stitch – used throughout the main body of the hat for 17 rounds in the main color
• Purl stitch – worked in one round using a contrasting color to create a turning ridge for the hemmed brim
• Stranded colorwork – the primary technique, where unused colors are carried along the inside of the work while knitting with the active color

The large-scale colorwork design creates bold geometric patterns across the crown and body of the hat, with the color changes happening at strategic points throughout the knitting sequence.

Yarn and Materials

Florence is designed to work with light worsted or DK weight yarn, offering flexibility for knitters who prefer either weight category. The pattern calls for four distinct yarn colors:

• Main color (MC): approximately 90 yards for Adult Small-Medium or 110 yards for Adult Medium-Large
• Contrasting color 1 (CC1): approximately 25 yards for Small-Medium or 35 yards for Medium-Large
• Contrasting color 2 (CC2): approximately 50 yards for Small-Medium or 60 yards for Medium-Large
• Contrasting color 3 (CC3): approximately 25 yards for Small-Medium or 35 yards for Medium-Large

The pattern specifically recommends Big Bad Wool weepaca yarn or other comparable light worsted/DK weight options. Circular needles are required for in-the-round construction, with the pattern referencing size 6 needles for at least one stage of the hemming process. A second set of circular needles is needed to hold live stitches during the hemming technique.

Sizing

Florence is available in two adult sizes: Adult Small-Medium and Adult Medium-Large, with yardage requirements adjusted accordingly for each size.