Malabrigo Hudson Yards Hat Knitting Pattern

Malabrigo Hudson Yards Windowpane Hat

What is Being Made

The Hudson Yards is a seamless, unisex windowpane hat designed by Talitha Kuomi. This one-size-fits-most hat features a classic brim circumference of 19 inches (48 centimeters) and a depth of 8 inches (20.5 centimeters). The design showcases a striking two-color stranded colorwork pattern that creates a windowpane effect across the crown, making it an eye-catching accessory suitable for various skill levels.

Techniques Used

This knitting project employs several key techniques that make it an engaging intermediate knit:

• Seamless construction: The hat is worked entirely in the round, eliminating the need for seaming and creating a smooth, professional finish.
• Stranded colorwork: Two colors are carried and worked simultaneously throughout the pattern, creating the distinctive windowpane design. This technique requires careful tension management to ensure even stitches and a polished appearance.
• Crown shaping: Strategic decreases are worked throughout the crown section to shape the hat and create a proper fit. The decreases transition from the initial stitch count down to a small number of stitches that are grafted closed.
• Circular needle and double-pointed needle work: The project begins on circular needles and transitions to double-pointed needles as the crown narrows, a standard technique for seamless hat construction.

Stitches Used

The Hudson Yards hat utilizes fundamental knitting stitches combined with strategic decreases:

• Knit stitch (k): The primary stitch used throughout the body and colorwork sections.
• Knit two together (k2tog): A right-leaning decrease used frequently during crown shaping rounds to reduce stitch count gradually.
• Slip, slip, knit (ssk): A left-leaning decrease that appears in several crown shaping rounds, providing balanced decreases when paired with k2tog.
• Slip stitch (sl): Used strategically during final decrease rounds to position stitches for proper closure.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Hudson Yards pattern calls for specific materials to achieve the intended gauge and fabric characteristics:

• Yarn: Rios by Malabrigo, a superwash merino wool blend. The pattern requires 1 hank each of two colorways: #52 Paris Night (Color A) and #138 Ivy (Color B). Each hank contains 3½ ounces (100 grams) and approximately 210 yards (192 meters) of yarn.
• Needles: The project uses one size 5 (3.75mm) circular needle and one size 7 (4.5mm) circular needle, each 16 inches (40 centimeters) long, for the brim and body. Additionally, one set of five size 7 (4.5mm) double-pointed needles is required for crown shaping.
• Notions: A stitch marker to denote round beginnings and a tapestry needle for weaving in ends and grafting the crown closed.

Gauge and Skill Level

The pattern specifies a gauge of 20 stitches and 26 rounds over 4 inches (10 centimeters) when working stranded colorwork using the size 7 (4.5mm) needle. This gauge is essential for achieving the correct finished measurements. The hat is rated as an Easy skill level, making it accessible to knitters with basic experience in circular knitting and simple colorwork techniques. The pattern note indicates that the hat is featured in both colorway options, with Paris Night and Ivy swapped as the primary and secondary colors, allowing knitters to choose their preferred color combination.