Mathilde Hat Knitting Pattern

Mathilde Hat in Juniper Moon Moonshine

What is Being Made

The Mathilde hat is a knitted, crown-down design featuring a deep ribbed brim and elegant cable detailing that transitions into crown decreases. Designed by Ruth Garcia-Alcantud, this hat is available in four sizes with finished circumferences of 15, 18, 21, and 24 inches (38, 45.5, 53.5, and 61 centimeters), making it suitable for a range of head sizes from children to adults.

Techniques Used

This knitting project employs several intermediate techniques that showcase the qualities of the yarn. The hat begins with a cast-on worked in the round using a marker to denote the beginning of each round. The construction uses circular knitting throughout, worked on double-point needles to create a seamless, tubular fabric. The pattern incorporates cable crossing techniques, which create the distinctive twisted rope-like texture that flows across the hat's body. The crown is shaped through a series of strategic decreases that gradually reduce stitch count, creating a fitted crown closure. The finishing involves threading live stitches and cinching them closed, followed by blocking to achieve final measurements.

Stitches Used

The Mathilde hat combines several fundamental and decorative stitches to create its visual and textural interest:

• Knit (k) and Purl (p) stitches: Form the foundation of the ribbed brim and cable pattern base
• Cable crosses: C4F (cable 4 front) and C4B (cable 4 back) create the flowing cable motif by holding stitches to the front or back before knitting
• Decreases: K2tog (knit two together), p2tog (purl two together), and ssk (slip, slip, knit) systematically reduce stitches during the crown shaping phase
• Ribbing pattern: The brim features a structured rib combining knit and purl stitches in a repeating sequence that provides elasticity and a finished edge

Cable Pattern Details

The cable pattern is worked over 18 stitches and repeats every 12 rounds. Round 1 establishes the cable crosses with C4B and C4F stitches flanked by knit stitches and purl borders. Rounds 2 and 4-12 maintain the cables in stockinette stitch. Round 3 repositions the cable crosses higher on the fabric, creating the elegant flowing effect. This 12-round repeat is worked until the hat reaches 10 inches (22.5 centimeters) in length, at which point the crown decreases begin.

Materials

The Mathilde hat is knitted with 2 hanks of Juniper Moon Farm Moonshine yarn in color #13 Junebug, a yarn specifically chosen to showcase its qualities through the cable and ribbed stitch patterns. The project is worked on US 6 (4 millimeter) double-point needles, which create a gauge of 24 stitches and 48 rows over 4 inches (10 centimeters) in the cable pattern. A tapestry needle is used for weaving in ends and closing the crown. The yarn weight and needle size work together to create a fabric with excellent stitch definition, allowing the cables and ribbing to stand out clearly.

Construction Overview

The hat is constructed from the brim upward. After casting on the appropriate number of stitches for the chosen size, the ribbed brim is worked for 3 inches (7.5 centimeters), establishing a snug, elastic edge. The cable pattern then begins and continues for approximately 6.5 inches (15 centimeters) until the hat reaches its full length of 10 inches (22.5 centimeters). Twelve rounds of strategic decreases follow, progressively reducing stitch count and shaping the crown. The final live stitches are threaded and cinched closed, and the finished hat is blocked to its final measurements for a polished appearance.