Rebels are the ultimate hipsters, supporting a cause “before it was cool”, and there are plenty of these incredible people in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. I wanted to create a piece of clothing that would pay homage to the heroes of the Rebel Alliance, and the most hipster-ish kind of knitwear out there is a slouchy beanie, so that’s what I made. It is a simple design, with a rolled cast-on edge, and a rapid decrease of the top to maximize slouch, and a subtle, but chic, color. The texture of the body, however, is the intriguing part. To the outsider, it appears to be random purl stitches scattered between the lines to create interest in an otherwise plain hat. Meanwhile, the knitter has secretly worked into the hat the words of one of the most badass characters in the movie, a blind warrior named Chirrut Imwe. The purl stitches make Braille letters, which spell out his mantra “I am one with the Force, the Force is with me.”, and the pattern is repeated over and over again, similar to how Chirrut chants when meditating when being held captive or battling storm troopers.
The length of this hat is easily customizable by adding another repeat, but the circumference can only be changed by changing your gage, or by adding or removing a “space” between each word in the form of an extra knit stitch. Also note that while the chart is very easy, it is very long. If you are using double pointed needles, it may be helpful to print it out and mark how the stitches are divided on each needle, just to keep track.
Simple to knit, and fun to wear, you do not need to be a Star Wars fan to enjoy this stylish hipster beanie, but it sure helps.