Pattern #27 in the original U.S. NationalPark inspired line of beanies
by Nancy Bates

White Sands national park encompasses 275 square miles of the largest gypsum dunefield in the world. The sand is so white, that most visitors say it looks like snow! Inspired by the texture of windswept ripples of sand and shadow, this beanie features an unusual raised stitch pattern with small amounts of grey amidst a sea of white, resulting in a surprisingly thick and warm hat. For a bit of whimsy, add an optional fluffy green pom-pom to represent the iconic soaptree yucca.

A note about gauge and size: Although most of my designs use a size 7 needle for worsted weight, I went down to a size 6 for this one for 2 reasons: 1) For me, acrylic yarn tends to knit looser than wool and 2) I wanted the “sand” to have a smoother look. If you choose to use wool or you are a tight knitter, you should probably go back up to a size 7 so your hat isn’t too small. Be sure to check gauge.

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