Valley Yarns Albedo Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Albedo Knit Hat Pattern

What Is Being Made

The Albedo is a two-color stranded colorwork knit hat designed by Susan Baron. This seamless, worked-in-the-round hat features a classic construction with a folded brim and is available in three sizes: small (18" circumference), medium (20" circumference), and large (22" circumference). The pattern accommodates children through adults, making it an ideal handmade gift option. Heights range from 9" to 9¾" when the brim is folded in half.

Techniques Used

The Albedo employs several intermediate knitting techniques suitable for adventurous beginners:

• Bottom-up construction: The hat is knitted from the brim upward to the crown
• Seamless, worked-in-the-round: Using circular needles and double-pointed needles eliminates the need for seaming, creating a polished, continuous fabric
• Stranded colorwork: Two colors are carried across rounds to create the Bottom Motif and Colorwork pattern charts, a classic technique for adding visual interest while maintaining structural integrity
• Decreasing: Strategic decreases shape the crown of the hat as stitches are reduced toward the top
• Make 1 (M1) increases: This left-hand needle technique adds stitches evenly spaced within rounds for shaping

Stitches Used

The pattern incorporates fundamental knitting stitches:

• Stockinette stitch: The primary fabric structure, worked in a single color on the smaller needle size
• Colorwork pattern stitches: Knit stitches worked in two colors following charted motifs on the larger needle size
• Knit 2 together (K2tog): A right-leaning decrease used for crown shaping
• Knit 1/Purl 1 (K1/P1) rib stitch: Used for the brim to create elasticity and a finished edge

Materials and Yarn Details

The Albedo is designed to showcase Valley Yarns Berkshire, a blend of 85% wool and 15% alpaca. Each hat requires two skeins of this yarn: one in a primary color (C1) and one in cream (C2). Each skein weighs 100 grams and provides 141 yards. The pattern shows examples in Stonewashed Heather, Burgundy, and Turquoise as primary colors paired with Cream, though the wide range of Berkshire colors available allows for personalized colorway combinations.

Needles and Gauge

Needle sizes: US 8 (5mm) 16-inch circular needle and double-pointed needles are used for the single-color stockinette sections, while US 9 (5.5mm) needles accommodate the stranded colorwork sections. Both sizes should be selected to achieve the specified gauge.

Gauge: 16 stitches and 22 rows equal 4 inches in stockinette stitch worked in one color on the smaller needle size. The same gauge applies to colorwork pattern when worked on the larger needle size, ensuring consistent fabric density throughout the hat.

Additional Materials

Beyond yarn and needles, the pattern requires a stitch marker to track round beginnings and a yarn needle for weaving in ends after completion.

Pattern Structure and Difficulty

Rated as Adventurous Beginner, the Albedo is accessible to knitters with foundational skills who are ready to tackle stranded colorwork. The pattern includes three size options worked simultaneously through written instructions, allowing knitters to customize the finished hat to the intended wearer. The combination of seamless construction, colorwork charting, and strategic shaping makes this an excellent project for building intermediate techniques while creating a wearable, gift-quality garment.