Learn to knit braids and work with two stranded colorwork while knitting this versatile Big Top Braided Hat. With bottom-up construction, the hat is knit in the round and customized with a choice of four tops. The design was inspired by the Big Top of Erin Morgenstern’s book The Night Circus.

The Big Top Braided Hat is a bottom-up knitted hat with…

• two color cast-on with three row braid

• k1, p1 two color ribbing

• two color three row braid

Customized top shaping

• star top with i-cord or pom pom
• flat top with pom-pom, jester shaping and three needle bind-off
• flat top with braid and three needle bind-off
• rounded top with i-cord and tassel.***

Tips/Tools/Techniques
Any sportweight or dk weight yarn would work well for this pattern. Choose two contrasting colors or one variegated and one solid yarn. The ease in the ribbing provides a head-snuggly fit.

The hat can be knit using the magic loop, a 16 inch circular needle (for the main body of the hat) or double-pointed needles.

A photo tutorial is included for knitting braids and creating a tassel. An optional pompom maker is needed for the jester top hat.

Thank you to my test knitters: athensang, keepknits, and purlzum for their great suggestions♥