Noro Hat Knitting Pattern

Noro Hat

What is Being Made

The Noro Hat is a classic knitted hat designed as an easy-level project. This finished hat features a brim circumference of 19 inches (48 centimeters) and a total length of 10½ inches (26.5 centimeters), making it a comfortable, close-fitting design suitable for various head sizes. The hat is constructed using a bottom-up approach, meaning knitting begins at the brim and progresses toward the crown.

Techniques Used

This knitting pattern employs several fundamental techniques to create the finished garment:

• Bottom-up construction: The hat is knitted starting from the brim edge and worked upward toward the top, allowing for easy fitting adjustments and a natural progression of the design.
• Worked flat: Rather than using circular needles, this hat is knitted on straight needles in flat pieces, which are then seamed together to form the final shape.
• Seaming: After the flat pieces are completed, they are sewn together using a seaming technique. The pattern includes selvage stitches along the edges specifically to facilitate easier and neater seaming.
• Stripes: The hat features striped colorwork, created using Noro Kureyon yarn, which naturally produces color variations that create the striped effect throughout the design.

Stitches Used

The Noro Hat pattern utilizes essential knitting stitches and stitch techniques:

• Stockinette stitch (St st): The primary stitch used throughout the hat, creating a smooth, classic knitted fabric with a flat appearance on the right side and bumpy texture on the wrong side.
• Selvage stitch: Edge stitches worked along the sides of the flat pieces to create clean, finished edges that are easier to seam together neatly.
• Make one increases: Two variations are included—make one knitwise (inserting the needle from front to back under the strand between stitches and knitting into the back loop) and make one purlwise (lifting the strand and purling it). These increases are used to shape the hat as needed.
• Slip, slip, knit (ssk) decreases: Two stitches are slipped knitwise individually, then the left-hand needle is inserted through the fronts of these stitches and they are knitted together, creating a left-leaning decrease.
• Slip stitches: Stitches passed from the left-hand needle to the right-hand needle without being worked, used for various shaping and edge techniques.
• Yarn overs: Creating new stitches and decorative holes in the fabric, often used in lace or textured sections.

Materials

The Noro Hat requires minimal materials, making it an efficient project:

• Yarn: Two 50-gram skeins of Noro Kureyon in colorway #421. Noro Kureyon is a premium hand-dyed yarn known for its variegated color patterns that create natural striping effects without additional colorwork techniques.
• Needles: One pair of size US 8 (5 millimeter) straight needles. The pattern editor recommends using LYKKE® needles and hooks for best results.

Gauge

The pattern specifies a gauge of 15 stitches and 28 rows over 4 inches (10 centimeters) in stockinette stitch using size US 8 (5 millimeter) needles. Knitters are advised to take time to check gauge before beginning the project to ensure the finished hat meets the specified measurements.