Two-Color Brioche Hat: Free Hat Knitting Pattern

Введение

Two-Color Brioche Hat

Our new Two-Color Brioche Hat pattern is just as snuggly as the original one-color version… But now with twice the color and twice the charm! The squishy loft of Cashmere Merino Bloom is just right for the squishy loft of brioche stitch, and now you have five new colors of this beloved yarn to mix and match!

This hat is classic in shape with sizes from baby through adult, so everyone gets to share the fun. The real magic is the brioche stitch, a rib-like pattern that incorporates yarn overs for plush depth and cozy insulation. Worked in two colors, brioche creates a wonderfully graphic, two-sided fabric… Fold up the brim and the colors flip!

Brioche has an unfair reputation for being intimidating, but we promise it’s friendlier than it looks. In fact, many knitters find two-color brioche even easier than one-color! This pattern is a perfect introduction: practice simple two-color brioche all the way up the body of the hat, then learn a couple of simple decreases to shape the crown, with our step-by-step tutorials at your side the whole way.

A perfect yarn for brioche stitch and a favorite for hats, Cashmere Merino Bloom is one of those yarns you just have to feel to believe. A blend of 25% cashmere and 75% extra fine merino wool, it combines decadent softness, beautiful bloom, and enough resilience to hold its shape. It’s gentle for sensitive skin and toasty warm against the cold, too.

What better pattern to celebrate a new color launch? Our hats show off new colors like Black Coffee, Lapis Blue, and Pearl Blue paired with some of our all-time favorites. Try high contrast, tone-on-tone, or whatever else you can think of… With 33 colors in total, you’ll find endless combinations to make the Two-Color Brioche Hat your own.

Grab a pair of colors that make you smile (just one skein each!) to cast on for a Two-Color Classic Brioche Hat in Cashmere Merino Bloom. Discover the joy of brioche and one of knitting’s most satisfying stitches!

Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, you’ll love exploring all of our other yarn collections! Discover over 55 thoughtfully designed yarns in nearly every natural fiber and in every spectacular color you can imagine. Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn store, where every skein is created with care and your creativity in mind!

Pattern designed and written by Purl Soho designer, Gianna Mueller. See even more of Gianna’s work on her Instagram!

Story written by Andrea Lotz for Purl Soho.

Want to print this pattern? On desktop, find the “print” icon in the right margin, and on mobile, scroll to the end of the pattern for it. Use the on-screen instructions to remove anything you don’t want to print!

Materials

Purl Soho’s Cashmere Merino Bloom, 75% extra fine merino and 25% cashmere. Each skein of this light worsted/ DK-weight yarn is 218 yards/ 100 grams.
- Color A: 1 skein; approximately 65 (80, 100, 125, 155) total yards required
- Color B: 1 skein; approximately 70, (90, 110, 140, 170) total yards required
US 4 (3.5 mm) 12- or 16-inch circular knitting needles, depending on size you are making, or US 4, 32-inch circular needles for Magic Loop
A set of US 4 double pointed needles, if using short circular needles (not necessary, if doing Magic Loop)
Stitch markers, including one unique

We knit our samples in these colors and sizes (NOTE: Some colors are no longer available)…

Baby: Color A- Heirloom White + Color B- Red Poppy
Kid: Color A- Conch Shell + Color B- Wheat Flour
Adult Small: Color A- Pearl Blue + Color B- Red Mulberry
Adult Small: Color A- Black Coffee + Color B- Reed Gray
Adult Small: Color A- Lapis Blue + Color B- Fresh Nutmeg

GAUGE

20 stitches and 52 rounds (26 countable rounds) = 4 inches in Brioche Stitch

NOTE: To count rounds in Brioche Stitch, count only the number of visible knit stitches in a single brioche column. Be aware that the real number of rounds worked is twice this number, as each visible stitch is actually two rounds.

SIZES

For help choosing a hat size, check out our complete guide on How to Knit the Right Hat Size!

Baby (Toddler, Kid, Adult Small/Medium, Adult Medium/Large)

Finished Circumference (unstretched): 12 (14½, 16¾, 19¼, 21½) inches, comfortably stretching to approximately 14 (17, 20, 23, 25) inches
Finished Height (uncuffed): 7¾ (8¾, 9½, 11, 12¼) inches

NOTES

SLIP STITCHES

Slip all slipped stitches purlwise with yarn in back.

BRIOCHE ABBREVIATIONS

YOS (Yarn Over Slip): Bring yarn forward, slip 1 purlwise, bring yarn over right needle (to back of work, if knitting the next stitch; or to back of work and then between needles to front of work, if purling the next stitch).

BK2TOG (Brioche Knit 2 Together): Knit the next stitch together with its paired yarn over.

BP2TOG (Brioche Purl 2 Together): Purl the next stitch together with its paired yarn over.

For a video tutorial and tips on working the steps of Two-Color Brioche Stitch, please visit our Brioche Stitch: Two-Color Brioche + Fixing Mistakes Tutorial.

BRIOCHE DECREASES

LEFT LEANING BRIOCHE DECREASE

BSK2P (Brioche Slip Knit 2 Pass): Slip 1 brioche stitch with its paired yarn over knitwise, k2tog (the next purl stitch with the following knit stitch and its paired yarn over), pass the slip stitch and its paired yarn over together over and off the right needle. [2 stitches decreased]

RIGHT LEANING BRIOCHE DECREASE

BK3TOG (Brioche Knit 3 Together): K2tog (the next knit stitch with its paired yarn over and the following purl stitch), slip the resulting stitch back to the left needle, pass the following stitch (a knit stitch and its paired yarn over) over the first stitch on the left needle and off the left needle, move the resulting stitch back to the right needle. [2 stitches decreased]

For tips on working the steps of Brioche Decreases, please visit our Brioche Stitch: Basic Decreases Tutorial!

PATTERN

BODY

With Color A, cast on 60 (72, 84, 96, 108) stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Place unique marker and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.

Set-Up Round: With Color A, *k1, yos (see Notes), repeat from * to end of round.

Round 1: With Color B, *yos, bp2tog (see Notes), repeat from * to end of round.

Round 2: With Color A, *bk2tog (see Notes), yos, repeat from * to end of round.

Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 until piece measures 6¼ (6¾, 7, 8, 8¾) inches from cast-on edge, ending with Round 2.

CROWN

NOTE: If using short circular needles, change to double pointed needles when necessary.

Set-Up Round: With Color B, *[yos, bp2tog] 10 (12, 14, 16, 18) times, place marker, repeat from * to end of round, omitting marker on final repeat. [2 markers placed]

Round 1: With Color A, [bsk2p (see Notes) *yos, bk2tog, repeat from * to 5 stitches before next marker (not counting yarn overs), yos, bk3tog (see Notes), yos, slip marker] 3 times. [12 stitches decreased]

Round 2: With Color B, *yos, bp2tog, repeat from * to end of round.

Round 3: With Color A, *bk2tog, yos, repeat from * to end of round.

Rounds 4 and 5: Repeat Rounds 2 and 3.

Round 6: Repeat Round 2.

Repeat Rounds 1–6 two (3, 4, 5, 6) more times, then repeat Rounds 1 and 2 one more time. [12 stitches remain]

Cut yarns and thread Color B tail onto a tapestry needle. Thread tail through remaining stitches. Pull taut and bring tail to inside of hat to weave in.

FINISHING

Weave in the ends and block as desired.

Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Learn About Cashmere Merino Bloom + All Our Beautiful Yarns

Soft, supple, and toasty warm, Cashmere Merino Bloom is an absolute knitting joy! A light worsted/DK-weight yarn, it is made with 25% of the most exquisite cashmere in the world and 75% extra fine merino wool and benefits from both fibers: cashmere for over-the-top softness and beautiful bloom and merino for resilience, durability, and even more softness. Cashmere Merino Bloom has an incredible hand feel with a gentle halo that illuminates your knitting… A gorgeous choice!

More Knitting Patterns

Be sure to explore our collection of (mostly free!) Cashmere Merino Bloom patterns and cast on!

More Light Worsted/ DK Weight Yarns

Shop our entire collection of light worsted/DK-weight yarns (What does DK-weight yarn mean, really? Our guide to DK yarn will answer your questions and demystify.)
If you want to use a different yarn, be sure to take the time to get the correct gauge. Need help? Check our All About Gauge Tutorial, our Yarn Substitution article, and our Complete Guide To Yarn for lots of helpful information.

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