Noro Checkerboard Cap Hat Knitting Pattern

Noro Checkerboard Cap

What Is Being Made

The Noro Checkerboard Cap is a seamless, knitted hat designed in two sizes with finished head circumferences of 18½ inches (47cm) for the smaller size and 19½ inches (49.5cm) for the larger size. The cap features a total length of 7 inches (18cm) for the smaller size and 8 inches (20.5cm) for the larger size. This is an easy-level knitting project that combines solid-colored stockinette stitch with a decorative basketweave colorwork pattern.

Techniques Used

This hat is constructed using several key knitting techniques that make it an accessible project for knitters seeking to develop their skills:

• Bottom-up construction: The cap is worked from the cast-on edge upward, beginning with a circular needle before transitioning to double-pointed needles
• Seamless, worked in the round: The entire hat is knitted circularly without seams, creating a smooth, professional finish
• Stitch marker placement: A marker is used to track the beginning of each round, ensuring consistent pattern repeats
• Decreasing for crown shaping: Multiple decrease rounds using k2tog (knit two stitches together) gradually reduce the stitch count to shape the crown
• Transition from circular to double-pointed needles: As the stitch count decreases during crown shaping, the work transitions from a 16-inch circular needle to double-pointed needles for easier manipulation

Stitches Used

The Noro Checkerboard Cap employs a limited but effective stitch vocabulary:

• Stockinette stitch (St st): Created by knitting every round, this smooth, classic stitch forms the base of the hat and creates the foundation for the colorwork sections
• Basketweave pattern: A multi-round colorwork pattern worked over a multiple of 6 stitches. The pattern alternates between two 4-round sequences: rounds 1–4 work purl 3 stitches in color A, knit 3 stitches in color B; rounds 5–8 reverse this to knit 3 stitches in color B, purl 3 stitches in color A. This creates a woven appearance through the combination of knit and purl stitches in contrasting colors
• Knit two together (k2tog): A right-leaning decrease used repeatedly during crown shaping to systematically reduce stitch counts from 96 or 102 stitches down to 12 stitches
• Purl stitch: Used within the basketweave pattern to create texture and visual interest

Materials

The Noro Checkerboard Cap is knitted with premium yarn and appropriate needles:

• Yarn: One skein each of Noro Silk Garden in color #211 (color A) and color #341 (color B). Noro Silk Garden is a variegated yarn known for its color variations and blend of natural fibers
• Needles: One 16-inch circular needle in size 7 (4.5mm) for the main body of the hat, plus one set of five size 7 (4.5mm) double-pointed needles for crown shaping when the stitch count becomes too small for the circular needle
• Notions: One stitch marker to track the beginning of each round
• Gauge: 20 stitches and 24 rounds equal 4 inches (10cm) over stockinette stitch, and 21 stitches and 26 rounds equal 4 inches (10cm) over the basketweave pattern, both using size 7 (4.5mm) needles. Achieving proper gauge is essential for obtaining the correct finished measurements

Pattern Construction Details

The hat begins with casting on either 96 stitches (smaller size) or 102 stitches (larger size) using the circular needle and color A. After joining the stitches in the round and placing a stitch marker, the knitter works in stockinette stitch with color A only until the hat measures 5½ inches (14cm) for the smaller size or 6½ inches (16.5cm) for the larger size from the cast-on edge. The basketweave pattern is then introduced and worked for 16 or 17 complete pattern repeats around