Fairisle Snowflake Hat Knitting Pattern

Fairisle Snowflake Hat in Plymouth Yarn Galway Chunky

What is Being Made

This is a classic winter hat featuring a fairisle snowflake pattern worked in the round. The finished hat has an approximate brim circumference of 19½ inches, making it a standard adult size. The design combines a ribbed brim for a snug fit with a decorative fairisle patterned body section and a shaped crown that tapers to a fitted top.

Techniques Used

This knitting project employs several fundamental and intermediate techniques suitable for beginner knitters:

• Circular knitting: The hat is worked in the round using circular needles and double-pointed needles (DPNs), which creates a seamless construction
• Fairisle colorwork: A two-color stranded knitting technique is used to create the snowflake motif, with the main color (Royal Blue) and contrast color (Natural) carried along the work
• Ribbing: A 1x1 rib pattern forms the brim, providing stretch and elasticity for a comfortable fit
• Crown shaping: Evenly spaced decreases using knit two together (k2tog) stitches gradually reduce the stitch count to close the top of the hat
• Needle transition: The pattern transitions from a 16-inch circular needle to double-pointed needles when the stitch count becomes too small for comfortable circular needle work

Stitches Used

The hat utilizes basic knitting stitches that are accessible to beginner-level knitters:

• Knit stitch (k): The primary stitch used throughout the stockinette stitch body
• Purl stitch (p): Used in alternation with knit stitches to create the 1x1 ribbed texture of the brim
• Knit two together (k2tog): A decrease stitch used repeatedly in the crown shaping section to reduce stitches and create the fitted top
• Stockinette stitch: The smooth, flat fabric created by knitting in the round, which serves as the base for the fairisle pattern

Materials and Specifications

The hat is designed to be made with Plymouth Yarn Galway Chunky, a bulky-weight yarn that works up quickly. The pattern requires one 100-gram ball each of two colors: 11 Royal Blue (main color) and 1 Natural (contrast color). The chunky weight of the yarn means the hat knits up relatively fast, making it an efficient project for beginners.

The needles required are US Size 9 (5.5mm) and US Size 10 (6mm). Specifically, you will need a 16-inch circular needle in both sizes and a set of double-pointed needles in the larger size. A stitch marker is needed to track the beginning of each round. The gauge is 14 stitches and 20 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch after blocking when worked on the larger needles, and 3.75 stitches per inch in the 1x1 rib when slightly stretched on the smaller needles.

Pattern Structure

The hat construction follows a logical progression: the brim is cast on with 72 stitches and worked in 1x1 ribbing for 1½ inches using the smaller circular needle. The work then transitions to the larger circular needle for the body. The fairisle snowflake chart is worked over 23 rounds, with the contrast color cut after completion. A single knit round separates the patterned section from the crown shaping. The crown is shaped through eight rounds of decreases that reduce the stitches from 64 down to 8, at which point the remaining stitches are grafted closed. An optional pompom can be added to the top of the hat for additional visual interest.