Big Pom Hat Knitting Pattern

Big Pom Hat in Blue Sky Fibers Bulky

What Is Being Made

The Big Pom Hat is a cozy knitted beanie designed by Sarah Smuland, featuring a classic crown silhouette topped with an optional decorative pompom. This hat offers a finished circumference of 18 inches and a height of 8 inches, making it a versatile accessory suitable for various head sizes. The design emphasizes simplicity and visual impact, with the statement pompom serving as the focal point of the finished piece.

Techniques Used

This pattern employs fundamental knitting techniques appropriate for advanced beginners. The construction begins with a cast-on foundation and progresses through circular knitting in the round, which creates a seamless, tubular fabric. The hat is worked from the bottom up, starting with a ribbed cuff section that provides stretch and structure. The crown shaping utilizes a systematic decrease sequence that gradually reduces stitches to create the fitted top of the hat. Knitters transition from circular needles to double-pointed needles as the stitch count diminishes and stitches no longer fit comfortably on the circular needle. The pattern concludes with a Kitchener stitch or similar grafting technique to close the remaining stitches at the crown.

Stitches Used

• Knit (k): The fundamental stitch forming the stockinette stitch fabric in the main body
• Purl (p): Used in combination with knit stitches to create the textured ribbed cuff
• Knit two together (k2tog): A right-leaning decrease stitch used throughout the crown decreases to shape the hat top
• Stockinette stitch: The primary fabric structure created by knitting in the round after the ribbed cuff section
• Ribbed cuff: A 2x1 rib pattern (knit 2, purl 1) worked for three rounds to create elasticity and a finished edge

Materials and Tools

The Big Pom Hat is crafted using Blue Sky Fibers Bulky yarn, a luxurious blend of 50% alpaca and 50% wool that provides warmth, softness, and drape. The pattern requires 2 hanks of yarn, with each hank containing 100 grams and yielding 45 yards of yardage. The yarn shown in the featured colorway is No. 1004 Polar Bear, a neutral shade that complements various skin tones and outfits. For those choosing to add the optional pompom, additional yardage in complementary colors is available: approximately 4 yards of No. 1226 Marine, 8 yards of No. 1224 Sunglo, or 10 yards of No. 1004 Polar Bear.

Essential needles include a Size 11 (8mm) 16-inch circular needle for the initial rounds and main body construction, and Size 11 (8mm) double-pointed needles for the crown shaping phase when stitches become too few for the circular needle. Additional tools required are a stitch marker to denote the beginning of each round and a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends and grafting the crown closed. The gauge is established at 10 stitches and 16 rows measuring 4 inches in stockinette stitch, ensuring proper fit and fabric density.

Pattern Overview

The Big Pom Hat pattern begins with casting on 48 stitches and joining them in the round. The first three rounds establish a 2x1 ribbed cuff that provides structure and elasticity. Following the cuff, knitters work in stockinette stitch (knitting every round) until the piece measures 7 inches in height. The crown decreases then commence, with seven consecutive decrease rounds that systematically reduce the stitch count from 42 stitches down to 6 stitches. Each decrease round follows a consistent pattern of evenly spaced k2tog decreases, creating a symmetrical crown shaping. Once the final 6 stitches remain, the yarn is cut and threaded through the remaining stitches to close the top. The finishing process includes weaving in all yarn ends and optional blocking. The decorative pompom is added last, with instructions available in an accompanying online video tutorial.

Care Instructions

The Big Pom Hat should be hand washed or dry cleaned to preserve the integrity of the alpaca and wool blend. Wash in tepid water using a mild