Plymouth Yarn Encore Worsted: 8-Hour Choices Knitting

Plymouth Yarn Encore Worsted: 8-Hour Choices Knit Hat Pattern

Project Overview

This downloadable knitting pattern from Plymouth Yarn Design Studio produces a charming Button Hat available in two sizes: child medium and adult. The design features a distinctive button flap detail created through a clever stitch manipulation technique that joins the cast-on edge into a circle, making it both a functional and decorative element. The pattern is offered free with the purchase of Plymouth Yarn Encore Mega Colorspun and is ideal for beginner knitters seeking a quick, satisfying project.

What Is Being Made

The Button Hat is a fitted, crown-decreasing hat with a unique construction method. Rather than traditional top-down or bottom-up shaping, this design begins with a flat garter stitch section that is cleverly folded and joined to create a button flap. The hat then continues in stockinette stitch in the round until reaching the crown, where strategic decreases shape the top. The finished hat is embellished with a large button or two smaller buttons, which serve as both closure and decorative accent on the flap.

Techniques Used

• Circular knitting: The pattern uses 16-inch circular needles to work in the round, creating seamless fabric for the main body of the hat
• Flat-to-round transition: The cast-on begins with flat garter stitch rows, then transitions to circular knitting by joining the edges together with a three-stitch bind-off technique
• Stitch manipulation: A specialized joining method pulls the first three stitches around to meet the last three stitches, knitting them together one at a time to form both the circular base and the button flap
• Crown decreasing: Strategic decreases (k2tog) are worked in repeating rounds to shape the hat crown, with size-specific decrease patterns for child and adult versions
• Double-pointed needle transition: The pattern calls for switching to double-pointed needles of the same size when the circular needle becomes too crowded during crown decreases

Stitches Used

• Garter stitch (Garter st): Knit every row in the flat sections, creating a textured, reversible fabric for the hat's opening and button flap
• Stockinette stitch (st st): Knit every round in the circular sections, producing the smooth, classic fabric for the main hat body
• Knit front and back (Kf&b): An increase technique used in the garter stitch section to shape the flap
• Knit two together (k2tog): A right-leaning decrease used both in the garter stitch shaping and throughout the crown decreases
• Slip, slip, knit (SSK): Referenced in the abbreviations, this left-leaning decrease provides alternative shaping options

Materials and Yarn Specifications

This pattern requires 1 skein (100g ball) of Plymouth Yarn Encore Mega Colorspun, a worsted-weight yarn available in multiple colorways. The pattern specifies color 7156 for the adult size and color 7162 for the child size. The yarn choice is significant—Encore Mega Colorspun is a multi-colored, space-dyed yarn that adds visual interest to the simple stitch patterns, making the hat visually striking without requiring complex colorwork techniques.

Needles and Notions

• Circular needles: Size 15 (10mm), 16 inches in length, for working the main body in the round
• Double-pointed needles: Size 15 (10mm), for crown decreases when the circular needle becomes too crowded
• Stitch marker: One marker to denote the beginning of the round
• Buttons: One large button or two smaller buttons for embellishment; the pattern specifies Dill brand buttons (style 340883 for adult, style 39175 for child)

Gauge and Sizing

The pattern is worked at a gauge of 8 stitches equals 4 inches over stockinette stitch, which is a loose, relaxed gauge typical of worsted-weight yarn on larger needles. This loose gauge contributes to the hat's drape and quick completion time. Two finished sizes are provided: child medium and adult, with st