Pittsburgh Steelers Hat Knitting Pattern

Pittsburgh Steelers Hat Knitting Pattern

Project Overview

This downloadable knitting pattern from Cascade Yarns creates a classic Pittsburgh Steelers hat designed by Lorna Miser. The hat is worked in the round using circular and double-pointed needles, combining ribbed, stockinette, and Fair Isle colorwork techniques to produce a finished piece with a 22-inch circumference suitable for average adult heads.

What Is Being Made

The Pittsburgh Steelers Hat is an intermediate-level knitting project that produces a warm, structured hat featuring team colors through strategic colorwork. The design includes a folded ribbed brim, a stockinette body, and decorative Fair Isle patterning in the upper section, finished with a classic crown decrease.

Knitting Techniques Used

This pattern employs several essential knitting techniques appropriate for intermediate crafters. The hat is worked in the round using circular needles, which creates a seamless construction. The pattern incorporates color changes between yarn colors to create the team-themed design. Decreasing stitches through knit two together (k2tog) reductions shapes the crown into a fitted top. The ribbed brim is intentionally knit wrong side out until the stockinette section begins, then folded up to create a finished edge. The pattern also includes Fair Isle colorwork, a traditional technique that carries two yarn colors across rows to create patterned designs.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

• Knit 1 Purl 1 Rib (K1 P1 Rib): Worked over a multiple of 2 stitches, alternating knit and purl stitches every round to create an elastic, textured ribbed fabric used for the brim
• Stockinette Stitch: Created by knitting every round, producing a smooth, flat fabric that forms the main body of the hat
• Fair Isle Pattern: A colorwork technique that follows a provided chart, incorporating two yarn colors within rounds to create decorative motifs
• Knit Two Together (k2tog): A right-leaning decrease used repeatedly in the crown shaping to gradually reduce stitches from 96 down to a small opening

Materials and Gauge

The pattern calls for Cascade Yarn's 220, a worsted-weight yarn. Knitters need one hank each of color #7827 and color #8555 to complete the hat. The recommended needles are size 7 knitting needles, including one set of 16-inch circular needles and a set of double-pointed needles for the crown shaping when stitches become too few for the circular needle.

The gauge is 18 stitches and 24 rows per 4 inches when working Stockinette Stitch with the larger needles. Achieving proper gauge is essential before beginning, as it ensures the finished hat will measure the intended 22-inch circumference.

Construction Details

The hat begins with casting on 96 stitches and joining in the round. After a single knit round, the yarn color changes to create the two-color design. The ribbed brim section spans 12 rounds in K1 P1 Rib pattern, worked intentionally wrong side out. The stockinette body follows for 4 inches, then transitions into 12 rounds of Fair Isle patterning using the provided chart. A single plain knit round in the primary color separates the colorwork from the crown shaping section.

The crown is shaped through a series of strategic decreases. Each decrease round reduces stitches by one-eighth, alternating between plain knit rounds and decrease rounds. The pattern progresses from knit 10, k2tog repeats down through knit 9, k2tog, and continues in this manner until only a small number of stitches remain. The final steps involve cutting the yarn, threading it through remaining stitches with a tapestry needle, and finishing off. After weaving in all ends, the ribbed brim is folded up to complete the hat, and the finished piece is blocked for shaping.