Riverton Royal Slouches Hat Knitting Pattern

Riverton Royal Slouch Hat in Blue Sky Fibers Royal Alpaca

What Is Being Made

The Riverton Royal Slouch is a relaxed, comfortable knit hat designed by Virginia Sattler-Reimer as part of The Traveler Series. This slouch hat features a generous, oversized crown that drapes elegantly down the back of the head, making it an ideal accessory for casual everyday wear. The finished hat measures 19¼ inches in circumference and 10 inches in height, fitting one size.

Knitting Techniques Used

This hat is knit in the round using circular needles, a fundamental technique for creating seamless, tubular garments. The pattern begins with a ribbed cuff worked on smaller needles, then transitions to larger needles for the body, which is worked in stockinette stitch. As the crown shaping progresses, the knitter switches to double-pointed needles when the decreasing stitches no longer fit comfortably on the circular needle. This transition is a practical technique for managing stitches during the final stages of crown closure.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Riverton Royal Slouch employs several essential knitting stitches:

• Ribbed Cuff: The hat begins with a 1x1 ribbed pattern (alternating knit and purl stitches) worked over three rounds, creating an elastic edge that hugs the head comfortably.
• Stockinette Stitch: The main body and crown are worked in stockinette stitch, which creates a smooth, elegant fabric with a classic V-pattern appearance on the knit side. This stitch is achieved by knitting all stitches on right-side rounds and purling all stitches on wrong-side rounds; however, since this hat is knit in the round, only knit stitches are worked after the ribbed cuff.
• Decreases: The crown shaping utilizes knit two together (k2tog) decreases worked at regular intervals across multiple decrease rounds. These decreases gradually reduce the stitch count from 130 stitches at the cast-on edge to just 7 stitches at the crown, creating the slouchy silhouette.

Materials and Needles

The Riverton Royal Slouch is crafted from Royal Alpaca yarn, which is 100% royal alpaca fiber. One hank of this yarn, weighing 100 grams and containing 288 yards, provides sufficient yardage to complete the hat. Royal alpaca is prized for its softness and delicate hand, making it an ideal choice for a garment worn close to the face and neck.

The pattern requires two sets of circular needles and a set of double-pointed needles:

• Size 2 (2.75mm) 16-inch circular needles for the ribbed cuff
• Size 3 (3.25mm) 16-inch circular needles for the main body and initial crown decreases
• Size 3 (3.25mm) double-pointed needles for the final crown shaping
• A stitch marker to indicate the beginning of each round

The gauge is 27 stitches and 33 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch using the largest needles (Size 3), which helps determine the correct needle size for achieving the intended finished measurements.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as Advanced Beginner, making it accessible to knitters with some foundational experience. The techniques involved—casting on, working in the round, basic decreases, and transitioning between needle types—are fundamental skills that intermediate knitters can execute with confidence. The straightforward stitch patterns and clear decrease sequences make this an excellent project for building proficiency in in-the-round knitting and crown shaping.