Blue Sky Fibers Lombard Hat Knitting Pattern

Blue Sky Fibers Lombard Hat

What is Being Made

The Lombard Hat is a sophisticated knitted hat designed by Bobbi Intveld for Blue Sky Fibers. This seamless, worked-in-the-round hat features an 18-inch finished circumference and 8½-inch height, making it a versatile accessory suitable for all seasons. The design challenges knitters with an advanced-level double lattice stitch pattern that creates a beautiful cabled texture throughout the crown.

Techniques Used

This pattern employs several key knitting techniques that define its construction:

• Bottom-up construction: The hat is worked from the brim upward, beginning with a cast-on at the base and progressing toward the crown
• Seamless, worked-in-the-round: The entire hat is knitted circularly without seams, using circular needles that transition to double-pointed needles as the crown decreases
• Cable-inspired texturing: The double lattice stitch creates a cabled appearance and visual depth without traditional cable stitches, offering an elegant alternative for textured knitting
• Crown shaping: Strategic decreases are worked to taper the hat from the body to a closed crown

Stitches Used

The Lombard Hat features specialized stitch work that requires attention and precision:

• Double Lattice pattern: A 12-round repeat stitch pattern that forms the primary textured design of the hat. This stitch is worked over 5 complete repeats or to desired height, creating the signature cabled look
• RT2R and RT2L stitches: Right-twist and left-twist stitches that form the lattice structure. The pattern notes recommend using needles with sharp tips to facilitate the execution of these specialized stitches
• Ribbing: A knit-one, purl-one (k1, p1) ribbed cuff worked over 6 rounds at the brim for elasticity and structure
• Knit and purl stitches: Basic stitches used throughout the pattern, including knit-two-together (k2tog) decreases for crown shaping
• Left-leaning increases (LLI): Used in the increase round to expand the hat from the ribbed cuff to the full circumference

Materials and Tools

The Lombard Hat is designed to be made with premium, natural fibers that enhance its all-season wearability:

• Yarn: One hank of Blue Sky Fibers Skyland in DK weight (210 yards per 100 grams). Skyland is composed of 40% Fine Highland Wool, 30% Baby Alpaca, and 30% Silk, creating a silky-soft yarn with excellent drape and temperature regulation. The colorway shown is No. 2404 Solstice
• Needles: US Size 5 (3.5mm) 16-inch circular needle for the ribbed cuff; US Size 6 (4mm) 16-inch circular needle for the body and pattern work; US Size 6 (4mm) double-pointed needles for crown decreases when stitches no longer fit comfortably on the circular needle
• Additional tools: Stitch marker for joining rounds, tapestry needle for weaving in ends and closing the crown

Pattern Gauge and Sizing

The pattern is worked to a gauge of 24 stitches and 30 rows over 4 inches in the Double Lattice stitch using the largest needles (US Size 6). The hat is sized at one finished circumference of 18 inches with an 8½-inch height, making it an average adult fit.

Construction Overview

The hat begins with 110 stitches cast on using the smaller circular needle, then is joined to work in the round with a knit-one, purl-one ribbed cuff over 6 rounds. An increase round expands the stitches to 138 stitches, preparing for the Double Lattice pattern. The lattice pattern is repeated 5 times or to desired height, creating the textured body of the hat. Crown shaping is accomplished through a series of knit-two-together decreases worked over 4 rounds, reducing from 138 stitches down to 9 stitches. The remaining stitches are secured with a yarn tail threaded through with a tapestry needle and pulled