This design evolved from a beanie pattern I made available earlier this year. In that pattern (Salaam Beanie), the square kufic Arabic of salaam (peace/peace of mind) showed up in twisted purl stitches on a stockinette background.

For this pattern (قبعة بسيطة—qaba‘a basiita, or “simple hat” in Arabic) I moved the salaam into stranded color work. This double layering of fingering-weight yarn created a sturdy yet supple and light fabric which I really liked. I further refined aspects of the beanie design such as the cast-on, decreases, and bind-off.

► NEEDLE SIZE The pattern features a corrugated rib followed by stockinette, both in stranded color work. I use 40-cm 16-inch circular needles, and move to two longer circular needles for the crown decreases. For yarns with a tighter ply, I worked rib on 2.25 mm US 1 needles, and stockinette on 4 mm US 6 needles. For yarns with a looser ply, I worked rib on 2.0 mm US 0 needles, and stockinette on 3.75 mm US 5 needles.

► YARN Suggested yarn weight is fingering. A variety of fibers have been tested for this pattern. See notes/samples on page 8.

► GAUGE Basic guideline here is 7 stitches and 7 rows per inch 
2.5 cm. My own preference for this beanie is a sturdy, close-fitting, lightweight fabric. I measured length by starting below one earlobe across the top of my head to below the other and dividing in half, which gave me 9 in. See samples on page 8 to view some variations.

YARNS TESTED (weight reflects total of two colors):

Brooklyn Tweed Peerie

Fiber: Merino wool
Gauge/weight: 2.25/4 mm US 1/6 • 46g

Holst Garn Coast
Fiber: Lambswool/cotton blend
Gauge/weight: 2/3.75 mm US 0/5 • 50g

Illimani Yarn SABRI 

Fiber: Alpaca/cotton blend
Gauge/weight: 2/3.75 mm US 0/5 • 43g

Retrosaria Mondim 

Fiber: Portuguese Campaniça wool
Gauge/weight: 2.25/4 mm US 1/6 • 41g

Ístex Einband 

Fiber: Icelandic wool
Gauge/weight: 2/3.75 mm US 0/5 • 35g

Drops Alpaca

Fiber: Alpaca
Gauge/weight: 2/3.75 mm US 0/5 • 45g

► GENERAL INFO
This pattern is entirely in stranded color work done in the round. I’ve included references and video links for stitch variations that might be unfamiliar. Stitches in this pattern: Knit, k tbl, purl, ssk, k2tog, cdd, catching floats. Pattern recommends a tubular cast-on or a German twisted cast-on in pattern, as well as a sewn bind-off. Sewn bind-off requires a yarn needle.