The Top-Down 2x2 Hat by Kevin Haggerty

The Top-Down 2x2 Hat

Knitting
January 2023
DK (11 wpi) ?
24 stitches and 26 rows = 4 inches
in 2x2 ribbing, unstretched
US 6 - 4.0 mm
170 - 250 yards (155 - 229 m)
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
English
This pattern is available for $4.50 USD buy it now

Seamless and knit in the round, with a fun top-down construction, this hat is your ticket to a perfect fit and a timeless accessory.

I’m a big believer in top-down hats for a few reasons. First of all, working top-down saves the knitter the trials and tribulations of working a tubular cast-on for a clean brim edge. Second (and most importantly), top-down hat knitting gives the knitter the ultimate control over fit. This pattern is written in a few sizes, but as you work your way through the crown, you can decide if you want a tighter or looser fit and make adjustments as needed. Also worth noting is that, in the tragic event you find yourself playing yarn chicken, you can just bind off the hat and enjoy a slightly shorter finished object!

We use a nifty loop cast-on to start at the top of the head. After a few set-up rows, we work down the crown with regular increases as we build the 2x2 ribbing. Once the crown shaping is complete, we work down all the way to the end of the brim in pattern. We then bind off using the Italian bind-off method. A quick wash-and-block later and you’ve got a perfect hat!

SIZES: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Final hat circumference (inches): 15”, 17.75”, 20.5”, 23”, 25.5”
Final hat circumference (cm): 38, 45, 51, 58, 65

100g of worsted or heavy-DK yarn will be enough for all sizes. I used two balls of Pop Merino by HipKnitShop for my sample and highly recommend it.