If you’ve been around my blog for a while (or if you take one look at my patterns page), you’ve probably noticed that I am drawn to single-color, neutral yarns. This is totally a preference thing, and I have nothing against those of you who like variegated yarn… it’s just not what I normally reach for.

But this season, I gave myself a challenge. My challenge was to find ways to use multi-colored (a.k.a. self-striping) yarns in some of my designs, while still keeping them modern-looking. So I went to one of my yarn stores and wandered the aisles until I found my first target: Lion Brand’s Tweed Stripes in “Caramel”. Of course I was drawn to the neutral hues, so I thought that might be a good compromise for me to begin with!

I wanted to keep the pattern really simple, because in my opinion, the busier the yarn, the simpler the stitches should be. Intricate stitches tend to get lost more easily in multi-colored yarns, and even more so in tweeds. Sometimes, less really is more. So, the body of this hat is just comprised of alternating SC and HDC rounds.

I also really wanted to balance out the busyness of all of the colors, so I chose a yarn from the Vanna’s Choice line, also by Lion Brand (color: “linen”) that matched the lightest color in the tweed yarn, and used that to make the band and the pom pom. Honestly, I would not have liked my result nearly as much if I’d done the entire thing in the tweed, but I think the linen color at the top and bottom of the hat really brings it all together and makes it work.

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RIVERBED SLOUCH HAT

Level: Easyish

Size:
One Size Fits Most (Preteen – Adult Woman).
Hat measures 9.5” across at band, and is 10” tall.

Materials:

• K hook (6.50mm) and H hook (5.0mm)
• Yarn needle
• 120 yards of Yarn A: Lion Brand Tweed Stripes (sample shown in Caramel) and about 60 yards of Yarn B: Vanna’s Choice in a coordinating color (sample shown in Linen). Tweed Stripes is a Bulky #5 yarn, and Vanna’s Choice is a Worsted/Aran #4 yarn.
• Stitch marker (a bobby pin works great)

Gauge:
With larger hook, 6 rows of 7 HDC & SC (alternate each row) = 2″ square.

Abbreviations Used:
MC (magic circle) – view my tutorial here
ST/STS (stitch/stitches)
CH (chain)
SL ST (slip stitch)
SC (single crochet)
HDC (half double crochet)
BLO (back loop only)

Notes:

(1) This pattern is written in American Standard terms.
(2) This hat is worked in a continuous spiral until the band. Do not join, chain or turn until instructed. Use a stitch marker to mark the first stitch of each round.
(3) The pom pom is optional.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

To begin:
Using K (6.50mm) hook, with Yarn A, make a magic circle.

Round 1:  10 HDC in MC (10)

Round 2: 2 HDC in each ST around (20)

Round 3: 2 HDC in each ST around (40)

Note: At this point, it’s going to start looking wavy. You’re doing it right! The back of the hat has a faux-cinched look to it, and this is how we achieve it. Once you get to the body of the hat, it will start to straighten itself out naturally.

Round 4: (2 HDC in next, 1 HDC in next) around (60)

Round 5: (2 HDC in next, 1 HDC in each of the next 5 STS) around (70)

Round 6: SC around (70)

Round 7: HDC around (70)

Rounds 8-21: Repeat Rounds 6-7 (70)

Round 22: SC in first 69 STS (all but the last ST), SL ST in final stitch of the round (70)

Join Yarn B. Fasten off Yarn A. Switch to H (5.0mm) hook.

Round 23: CH1; SC around. Join with a SL ST to first SC. (70)

Next we’re going to make the band of the hat, and we will be working in vertical rows, attaching it to the final round of the hat with SL STS as we go. Click here to view my video tutorial for this technique.

Row 1: CH9. SC in 2nd CH from hook. SC in remaining 7 CHS. SL ST in next 2 STS of the hat. (8, plus the 2 SL STS at the base of the hat)

Row 2: CH1, turn. Skipping over the 2 SL STS, SC in BLO of each of the next 7 STS. SC in both loops of the last ST. (8)

Row 3: CH1, turn. SC in first ST. SC in BLO of each of the next 7 STS. SL ST in next 2 STS of the hat.

Repeat Rows 2-3 all the way around the hat (70 rows). Fasten off and use your tail to whip stitch the first and last rows together. Weave in all ends.