As a kid, anytime my parents drove us through the city, I was mesmerized by smoke billowing from smokestacks. I loved to watch the giant puffs drifting off with the wind, eventually converging and streaking the sky with clouds. My dad’s friend even convinced me that the factories were manufacturing the clouds! (I was a gullible four-year-old. Gimme a break.) Thanks to better environmental guidelines, smokestacks emit mostly water vapor nowadays. Nevertheless, I’m still enchanted by the swirling trails over the city.

Smoke in the City is a hat that reminds me of those twirling patterns in the sky. Bands of seed stitch rise from stacks of ribbing at the brim and twist towards the crown. The smoke converges at the top into a neat swirl. Knit in worsted weight, this hat works up quickly and is suitable for men and women. Yarns in solid or tonal colorways will work best to show off the hat’s texture; wildly variegated yarns will not.

Please use the hashtag #SmokeInTheCityHat when posting pictures on social media.

Skills Required

• Knit & purl, cast-on
• Decreases (knit 2 together)
• Working from charts (optional)

Notions

• 8 stitch markers
• Yarn needle for weaving in ends
• Balloon (optional)

Finished Measurements

Circumference: Small: 16.5 inches (42cm), Large: 19 inches (48.5cm)
Height: Small: 7.5 inches (19cm), Large: 8.5 inches (21.5cm)

Credits
Photographer: Meredith Cohoon
Tech editor: Ellen M. Silva
Test knitters: Danie Parde (PrairieGirlDanie), Laura Gorton (LauraKnitsPA), Mary Sue Moore (msuem), Mike Pennucci (MikeInTheFort), Pat Salvatini (plynn), Sara Gaskill (sms394)