The Itasca hat is a three-in-one pattern that provides endless color combinations.

Itasca State Park is where the mighty Mississippi begins and so I named this pattern The Itasca as a nod to a beginner friendly pattern. This is a good introduction to colorwork, but is written so you can opt to make your hat in one color, two color, or three. Clearly written for every experience level, my patterns are easy to follow with spaces to check off which row you are on when rows are repeated and offers the option to color code your pattern for the fair isle versions of colorwork.

The stretchy nature of the brim makes this almost a one size fits all hat. I feel that a six year old could wear it just as easily as an adult. No more outgrowing a beloved hat or worrying if it will fit someone who isn’t there to try it on while you are knitting it.

There are three yarns that I like to work with when I make the Itasca:
Lion Brand Thick and Quick, Lion Brand Hometown, and Loops & Threads Copenhagen. I often use solids in the thick and quick and hometown for the brim and crown and use a variegated yarn for the colorwork sections.

This is a GREAT pattern for using up left over yarn. Not only is it a great stashbuster pattern, but the sky’s the limit on color combinations so your creations can be as unique as the person wearing the hat.