The Spincycle Hat

A few months ago on a trip to Washington state, I stopped in a LYS {local yarn store} seeking out what else… locally made yarn. This was a well-stocked shop, so I had my options. But then I saw it… SPINCYCLE! Oh the holy grail of yarn! {This was around the time Andrea Mowry released The Throwback and Nightshift patterns out of Spincycle.}

If you’ve ever picked up a skein of Spincycle, you know that it’s a special yarn. What Kate and Rachel started as a small-batch hand-spinning business has grown into full-blown in-house-mill production! These fabulous ladies design, dye, spin, and package their yarns in their warehouse in Bellingham, WA. Their fiber comes from American farms primarily in Colorado, Wyoming, and South Dakota- cool!

We know that yarns so carefully sourced can come with a higher price tag- one that is certainly justified. So I agonized to pick out just one perfect skein of Spincycle. Now I’m not typically a yellow person, but when I saw the name “Beets and Bears” wrapped around skein so distinctly the color of Dwight Schrute’s {awful} button up shirts, I had to have it!

The journey from yarn to hat wasn’t a quick one. I had to toy with it. Swatch a few times. Cast on, rip out {with mohair!}, and cast on again. After all, I wanted to get it right with my precious yarn! I almost gave up on it several times. But in the end it was worth it. So I give you: The Spincycle Hat.

Pattern:

This pattern is written as an adult small {18 1/2″ hat circumference, to fit a 20-21″ head}. Adjust the size by adding or taking away stitches in multiples of 8. The crown decreases will work out for any size, as long as you have a multiple of 8.

Materials:

1 200-yard skein of Spincycle Versus DK-weight wool
1 50-gram skein of lace weight mohair
US 5 (3.75mm) needles to work in the round

Gauge:

4 .5 sts per inch in 2×2 rib, stretched width-wise with Spincycle and mohair held together. {Or 4 sts per inch after blocking.}

Special Stitches:

RT | Right Twist | Knit two together, do not slide off left needle. Knit first stitch again. Slide both stitches off left needle. Video here.

Four-Round Repeat:

(K2, p2)- repeat around.
Repeat rnd 1.
Repeat rnd 1.
(K2, p2, RT, p2)- repeat around.

The pattern begins!

Cast on 88 stitches {long-tail is good} with mohair and Spincycle held together. Join in the round.

Work the Four-Round Repeat 15 times total (7 inches), or until you have reached the crown of the head.

Decreases: these will work for any multiple of 8. The number of stitches cast on divided by 8 will equal the number of decreases in each decrease round.

(K2, p2, k2, p2tog)- repeat around. – 11 stitches decreased.
(K2, p2, k2, p1)- repeat around. Or just knits the knits and purl the purls!
(K2tog, p2, k2, p1)- repeat around. – 11 stitches decreased.
(K1, p2, RT, p1)- repeat around.
(K1, p2tog, k2, p1)- repeat around. – 11 stitches decreased.
(K1, p1, k2, p1)- repeat around.
(Ssk, k1, ssk)- repeat around. – 22 stitches decreased.
(K1, RT)- repeat around.
Knit.
(K3, k2tog, k1)- repeat to last three sts, k3. – 5 stitches decreased.
(K2tog, k3)- repeat to last three sts, k2tog, k1. – 6 stitches decreased.
Knit.
(K2tog)- repeat around. – 11 stitches remain.

Cut yarn and draw through remaining stitches. Weave in ends. Wet block, squeeze in a towel, and give the hat a good stretch before you lay it flat to dry. Top with a pom pom if desired!

As always, my free patterns are able to be free because they are written in simple form, one size, and not tested by multiple knitters. Although I try my best to make the pattern error-free, there could be some mistakes. Kindly let me know and I will correct them!

I hope you enjoy The Spincycle Hat and are able to covet your previous skeins even more in accessory form. If you share your makes on Instagram, make sure to tag me {@knittynatty} and use the hashtag #thespincyclehat.

Favorite or queue The Spincycle Hat on Ravelry here.

Love in Stitches,

Knitty Natty

The Spincycle Hat