Hats are a natural for circular knitting (or knitting in the round). This project for circular-knit adult hats offers three brim styles: hemmed, ribbed, and rolled stockinette. Whichever brim you choose, the directions call for shaping the top. Work this hat in plain stockinette stitch in a colorful or fashion yarn, or customize it by working the colorwork pattern included here. But don’t feel tied to those two options — use this hat as a canvas to express yourself.

Brim circumference: 20 (21, 22) inches

Yarn:
Desired yarn in the amount specified in the table below. (Note: These estimates are for a hat with a ribbed brim. The hemmed and rolled brims require slightly more yardage.)

Approximate Yardages for 20”–22” Hat:
Gauge in Stockinette / Approximate Yardage
3 sts/inch / 80–100 yards
4 sts/inch / 110–140 yards
5 sts/inch / 140–180 yards
6 sts/inch / 180–225 yards
7 sts/inch / 220–275 yards

Needles: One of the following types of needles in the size needed to obtain your desired gauge:

One set of 4 or 5 double-pointed needles
One 32- to 40-inch circular needle
Two 16-inch circular needles
One 16-inch circular needle and a set of double-pointed needles for working the crown decreases.

There are a lot of ways to customize this hat. For a stocking cap, work 2 to 4 plain knit rounds between decrease rounds while decreasing the top. Top the hat with a pompom, tassel, or little I-cord braid. You can also experiment with cables, knit-and-purl combinations, stripes, or stranded colorwork.