Swans Island Stonington Hat Knitting Pattern

Swans Island Stonington Hat

What Is Being Made

The Stonington Hat is an easy slouch hat pattern designed by Michele Rose Ornete. This downloadable knitting pattern creates a relaxed, comfortable hat with a slouchy silhouette that drapes slightly at the crown. The finished hat measures 19 inches (or 20 inches in the larger size) in circumference with a height of 10¾ inches, making it suitable for a range of head sizes in two options: S/M and L/XL.

Techniques Used

This pattern is worked seamless and in the round, a popular modern knitting technique that eliminates the need for seaming pieces together. The hat begins with a cast-on and is joined to work continuously in circular rows. The seamless construction creates a smooth, professional finish and allows knitters to try on the hat as they work. The pattern incorporates both ribbed and textured stitch patterns to create visual interest and structure.

Stitches Used

The Stonington Hat utilizes several fundamental knitting stitches:

• Stockinette Stitch (abbreviated as Stst): Created by knitting every round, this smooth, classic stitch forms the main body of the hat and creates the slouchy fabric
• Garter Stitch in the Round: Worked by alternating purl rounds and knit rounds, this textured stitch creates horizontal ridges and appears twice in the pattern as decorative bands
• Ribbing: A knit 2, purl 2 (K2, P2) rib worked at the cast-on edge to create an elastic cuff that fits snugly around the head
• Decreases: Knit two together (K2tog) decreases are used strategically in the crown shaping to gradually reduce stitches and create the hat's rounded top

Materials and Tools

The Stonington Hat is designed to be made with one skein of Swans Island Ikat Collection yarn in Firefly colorway (Onyx). The yarn is 100% organic merino wool in a fingering weight, with each skein containing 100 grams and 525 yards of fiber. This natural, high-quality yarn provides softness and breathability ideal for a hat worn close to the face.

The pattern requires US size 2 (2.75mm) 16-inch circular needles and a set of 5 double-pointed needles for the main fabric, as well as US size 1 (2.25mm) 16-inch circular needles for the ribbed cuff. A stitch marker, yarn needle for weaving in ends, and the ability to check gauge (7¼ stitches and 11 rows per inch in stockinette stitch with the larger needles) are essential for successful completion.

Pattern Structure and Construction

The hat is constructed in distinct sections. It begins with a cast-on of 136 or 144 stitches on the smaller needles, worked in a knit 2, purl 2 ribbed pattern for 2¼ inches to create the fitted cuff. The pattern then transitions to the larger needles with an increase round, followed by alternating bands of garter stitch (10 rounds) and stockinette stitch (2 inches), repeated twice for textural variety. After the final garter stitch band and one even knit round, the crown shaping begins with strategic decreases that reduce stitches from 138 or 144 down to 12 stitches. The remaining stitches are pulled tight to close the top of the hat, and ends are woven in securely to finish.