Classic Elite Yarns Folkston Hat Knitting Pattern

Classic Elite Yarns Folkston Knit Hat

What is Being Made

The Folkston is a knitted cap designed by Susan Mills, originally published in Arietta 1608, a printed collection of designs. This is an intermediate-level knitting project that creates an easy-to-wear hat suitable for adult sizes small, medium, and large. The finished hat measures 14¾ (16½, 18¼) inches in circumference when unstretched, with the fabric stretching to accommodate heads measuring 15–17 (17–19, 19–21) inches respectively.

Techniques Used

The Folkston employs cables as its primary decorative technique, with intertwined cables covering the surface of the cap. The hat is worked in the round using circular needles, which is a fundamental technique for creating seamless, tubular garments like hats. The pattern incorporates strategic increases and decreases to shape the crown, transitioning from circular needles to double-pointed needles (dpn) as the stitch count decreases toward the top. The construction includes a ribbed cuff worked in knit and purl stitches before transitioning to the charted cable pattern.

Stitches Used

The Folkston utilizes several essential knitting stitches. The cuff begins with a knit and purl ribbing (k2, p2 pattern) that provides elasticity and helps the hat stay securely on the head. The main body features cable stitches as shown in the Folkston chart, which spans rounds 1–48. The pattern includes increases worked into the 12-stitch repeats (expanded to 14 stitches in round 6) and decreases in the upper portion of the hat to shape the crown. The hat is closed at the top using a knit two together (k2tog) decrease repeated around the final stitches, followed by threading the yarn tail through remaining stitches to secure the crown.

Materials and Yarn

The Folkston is designed to be knitted with Arietta by Classic Elite Yarns, a premium blend consisting of 80% extrafine merino and 20% yak fiber. Each 50-gram ball yields approximately 130 yards of yarn. Depending on the size being knitted, the project requires 1 ball for size small or 2 balls for sizes medium and large (color 4931 Lake is shown in the example). The yarn's composition provides softness from the merino while the yak fiber adds durability and warmth.

Needles and Tools

Construction requires US size 6 (4 mm) circular knitting needles in a 16-inch length for the main body of the hat, along with matching double-pointed needles (dpn) for the crown shaping when stitches become too few to work comfortably on the circular needle. Additional materials include stitch markers to denote the beginning of rounds and to track pattern repeats, and a cable needle (referenced in the pattern) for crossing stitches to create the cable effects. A tapestry needle is used during finishing to weave in ends and to thread the yarn tail through the final stitches for closing the crown.

Gauge and Sizing

Achieving the correct gauge is essential for this project. The pattern specifies a gauge of 42 stitches and 26 rounds over 5½ inches wide and 3½ inches high, measured in pattern from rounds 7–32 of the Folkston chart when unstretched. Three pattern repeats are included in this gauge measurement. The pattern is available in three finished sizes: Adult S, M, and L, with the medium size shown in the example photograph.