Making a Benchmark Hat is the perfect way to play with scrappy leftovers, a single skein, or several bobbins of Plied Yarns North Ave. Use it to practice and swatch for a Benchmark sweater too! The gauge and stitch pattern repeat are the same.

Putting the Benchmark sweater stitch pattern into a hat design was my daughter’s idea, and it also seemed like the natural way to use up North Ave stash and offer another option for the cute 6 pack of bobbins by Plied Yarns.

This hat is seamless and knit in the round from the bottom up, with sections of stockinette, broken seed stitch, and a few rounds of mosaic slipped stitch stripes. Color contrasts are so fun, but a making it in a single color will result in an equally attractive gansey hat.

The pattern has options for making it with a single color, 2 colors and 6 colors. Sizes are finished 22” and 20”.

Yardage:
22” one color = 200 yds, 2 color = MC 120, CC 85, 6 color = 35 each (6 bobbins of North Ave)
20” one color = 175 yds, 2 color = MC 95, CC 70, 6 color = 30 each (6 bobbins of North Ave)

Yardages are for 2” ribbed edge. Want a folded hem? Add approximately 50 yards and work the beginning ribbing for twice as many rounds.

Yarn Substitutions:
Harrisville Nightshades & Daylights
Malabrigo Arroyo
Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Sport & Studio DK