Berroco Ups and Downs Stripe Hat & Mittens Knitting Pattern

Berroco Ups and Downs Stripe Hat & Mittens

What Is Being Made

This downloadable knitting pattern from Berroco features a coordinating set consisting of a slouchy or fitted hat and matching mittens. The hat is available in five sizes with head circumferences ranging from 16" to 24", and can be customized for either a relaxed slouchy fit or a more tailored fitted silhouette. The design showcases a distinctive striped colorwork pattern that creates visual interest while remaining accessible to intermediate-level knitters.

Techniques Used

The Berroco Ups and Downs Stripe Hat & Mittens are constructed using several key knitting techniques that create both structure and visual appeal:

• Worked in the Round: Both the hat and mittens are knitted circularly, eliminating the need for seaming and creating seamless, professional-looking finished pieces.
• Bottom-Up Construction: The projects are worked from the cast-on edge upward, allowing knitters to easily adjust the height to personal preference before binding off.
• Seamless Design: The circular construction method ensures no seams require finishing, resulting in comfortable wear and a polished appearance.
• Corrugated Ribbing: The pattern incorporates corrugated ribbing, a technique that uses multiple yarn colors held together to create a textured, elastic ribbed edge that provides shape and stretch.
• Colorwork Striping: The "Ups and Downs" stripe pattern utilizes color changes throughout the design, with a distinctive feature where one color column (the Nasturtium accent) intentionally pops forward as a design element.

Stitches Used

The pattern employs fundamental knitting stitches suitable for intermediate crafters:

• Stockinette Stitch (St st): The primary stitch used throughout both projects, creating a smooth, classic fabric with a V-pattern appearance on the right side.
• Ribbing: Used in the corrugated ribbing sections to create elasticity and definition at edges and cuffs.
• I-Cord: Referenced in the pattern instructions as a technique for managing yarn strands, creating a cord-like appearance reminiscent of I-Cord construction.

Materials and Tools

The Berroco Ups and Downs Stripe Hat & Mittens pattern calls for specific materials to achieve the intended finished look and performance:

• Yarn: Berroco Ultra Wool, a 100-gram ball weight yarn, in three coordinating colorways: Cast Iron (C1) for the primary color, Snow (C2) for contrast, and Nasturtium (C3) for the accent stripe detail. One ball each of C1 and C2 is required, plus a small amount of C3.
• Needles: A 16-inch circular needle in size 7 (4.50 mm) for the main body of the hat, plus one set of four double-pointed needles in the same size for working the crown decreases and mittens.
• Notions: One stitch marker to denote the beginning of rounds, a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends, and optionally a 3½-inch pompom maker for adding a decorative pompom to the hat crown.

Gauge and Sizing

The pattern specifies a gauge of 22 stitches and 28 rounds over 4 inches in stockinette stitch using Berroco Ultra Wool on size 7 needles. Checking gauge before beginning ensures that the finished hat will achieve the intended measurements. The hat is designed to fit head circumferences from 16" to 24", with adjustable height options: the slouchy version ranges from 8½" to 10½" tall, while the fitted version ranges from 7½" to 9½" tall. Knitters can customize fit by choosing a size matching their actual head circumference for a slouchy look, or selecting a size 1–2 inches smaller for a more fitted silhouette.

Pattern Notes

This pattern, designed by Kate Atherley, is marked as intermediate skill level and includes helpful guidance for executing the colorwork successfully. When working the corrugated ribbing sections, all yarn colors should be kept separate to maintain the pattern integrity. The distinctive Nasturtium color stripe intentionally pops forward as part of the design aesthetic, creating dimensional visual interest. The pattern emphasizes that height can be easily adjusted to personal preference, making it adaptable to individual style preferences. The downloadable PDF format allows access to the most current version with any corrections or