Blue Sky Fibers Icehouse Hat Knitting Pattern

Blue Sky Fibers Icehouse Hat

What is Being Made

The Icehouse Hat is a two-color knitted beanie designed by Melissa LaBarre for Blue Sky Fibers. This adult-sized hat features a contrasting color ribbed cuff and crown, with finished measurements of approximately 17 inches in circumference and 8½ inches in depth. The hat is constructed using an inside-out knitting technique, where the garment is knit with the wrong side facing outward and then turned inside out during finishing to create a polished appearance.

Knitting Techniques

This pattern employs several intermediate knitting techniques appropriate for advanced beginners. The hat is worked in the round using circular needles and double-pointed needles, requiring the knitter to maintain even tension across multiple needles. The construction begins with a long-tail cast-on method and uses a transition from a 16-inch circular needle to double-pointed needles as the stitch count decreases toward the crown. The pattern incorporates strategic decreases worked in established ribbing patterns, maintaining the 1x1 rib texture even as stitches are eliminated. The inside-out construction method adds complexity, as knitters must weave in ends on the wrong side before turning the finished hat.

Stitches and Abbreviations Used

The Icehouse Hat is primarily constructed using 1x1 ribbing, which alternates knit and purl stitches throughout the cuff and body of the hat. The crown shaping utilizes several decrease techniques:

• SSK (slip, slip, knit): A left-leaning decrease worked by slipping two stitches knitwise, then knitting them together through the back loops
• SSSK (slip, slip, slip, knit): A more aggressive decrease that removes three stitches at once, used in the final crown shaping rounds

The pattern works decreases in a structured sequence, with two alternating decrease rounds that maintain the ribbing pattern between decreases. The final rounds use the triple-stitch decrease to close the crown opening, and the remaining stitches are secured by threading yarn through the final stitches.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The Icehouse Hat pattern calls for Blue Sky Alpacas Sport Weight or Blue Sky Alpacas Melange yarn. The pattern requires one 50-gram hank (110 yards) each of a main color and a contrasting color, allowing for creative two-color combinations. The photo example features Taupe #505 as the main color and Denim #522 as the contrast color.

The needle requirements include three separate needles to accommodate the decreasing stitch count: a Size 4 (3.5mm) 16-inch circular needle, a Size 5 (3.75mm) 16-inch circular needle, and a Size 5 (3.75mm) set of double-pointed needles, all selected to achieve the specified gauge. Additional notions include stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and a tapestry needle for weaving in ends and securing the crown closure.

Gauge and Sizing

The pattern specifies a gauge of 24 stitches and 32 rounds over 4 inches when working 1x1 ribbing on the appropriate needle size. This gauge is essential for achieving the finished circumference of 17 inches, which stretches to fit most adult head sizes. The pattern begins with a cast-on of 120 stitches, divided into four sections of 30 stitches for decrease shaping.

Finishing and Care

The Icehouse Hat includes specific finishing instructions that are integral to the design. After completing the crown decreases and securing the final stitches, the knitter weaves in all ends on the right side of the inside-out hat. The hat is then turned inside out, making the finished side the new right side. The pattern recommends blocking the completed hat using water or steam to set the shape and even out the ribbing texture.