Winter Woods Brioche Hat

Free Hat Knitting Pattern

The Winter Woods Brioche Hat is part of the Winter Woods Brioche Set, which also includes a cowl and a scarf.
All of the items in the set feature a two-color brioche stitch with a motif of leaves.


Skills required: to knit this hat, you have to know how to knit 2-color garter stitch, 2-color brioche stitch in-the-round, and make brioche decreases and increases.

Size: Hat circumference: 21” (52 cm), unstretched; hat stretches to fit most adult heads
Height from edge of brim to top center of crown 10" (25 cm).

Materials: 100% Wool Lion Brand (affiliate link) Fishermen's Wool aran weight yarn 465 yd (425 m) / 227g - 1 skein. Color Oatmeal (LC)
100% Wool Lion Brand (affiliate link) Fishermen's Wool aran weight yarn 465 yd (425 m) / 227g - 1 skein. Color Nature’s Brown (DC)

Needles: US 4 (3.5 mm) 21” (52 cm) circular needles and dpn for the top of the hat. OR SIZE NEEDED TO OBTAIN GAUGE

Gauge: 18 sts x 20 rows = 4" (10 cm) in brioche stitch
Please note, that 1 row of brioche consists of 2 rows: 1 row of LC and 1 row of DC

Abbreviations

Please note that I use Nancy Marchant's terminology for brioche stitch. I highly recommend her books Knitting Brioche: The Essential Guide to the Brioche Stitch and Knitting Fresh Brioche: Creating Two-Color Twists & Turns, as well as her lessons on craftsy.com.
yf - yarn forward: bring the yarn to the front, between the tips of the needles.
yb - yarn back: take the yarn to the back, between the tips of the needles.
sl1yof - slip 1, yarn over, yarn to front: with working yarn in front, slip the next stitch purlwise, then bring the yarn over the needle and the slipped stitch, then bring yarn back around to the front, ready to purl the following stitch.
yfsl1yo - yarn forward, slip 1, yarn over: bring the working yarn between the tips of the needles to front of work, slip the next stitch purlwise, then bring the yarn over the needle and the slipped stitch. Leave yarn in back, ready to knit the next stitch.
brk - brioche knit: knit the stitch together with its accompanying yarnover
brp - brioche purl: purl the stitch together with its accompanying yarnover
brkyobrk – brk1, yo, brk1: [brk1, yarn over (yarn over under needle, then over needle to back), brk1] in the same stitch. 2 stitches are increased.
br4st inc – brk1, yo, brk1, yo, brk1 into the same stitch: 1 stitch increased to five.
brsssk (left slant 2-stitch decrease) – work to marked st, slip the next 2 sts (the marked st with its yarn over and the next single st) knitwise, one at a times, onto the right needle. Bark the following st, then pass the 2 slipped sts over.
brk2tog (right slant 2-stitch decrease) – work to 2 sts before the marked st (last brk) , slip 2 sts knitwise (st with yarn over and single st) and knit (brk) them together. Return this st to the left needle and pass the marked st (st with yarn over) over. Move this st to the right needle.
br4st dec – brioche 4 st decrease (worked over 5 sts, 4 sts dec): slip first brioche st knitwise, slip next st knitwise, place next brioche st on cable needle or stitch marker and hold in front of work, knit next st on LH needle, pass slipped st on RH needle over (1 st dec), move st to LH needle, pass next brioche st over (1 st dec), move st to RH needle, pass first slipped brioche st over (1 st dec), move st from marker to LH needle, move st on RH needle to LH needle and pass held brioche sts over (1 st dec), move st back to RH needle.
LS – light side
DS – dark side
LC – light color
DC- dark color
pm – place marker
mm – move marker
k – knit
p – purl
k2tog – knit 2 together
p2tog – purl 2 together

Pattern Notes:

1x1 Rib in rounds: (number of sts multiple of 2)
All rounds: *k1, p1 - repeat across the round.

Two-Color Brioche Stitch in rounds

Please note that one brioche round consists of 2 rounds, one worked in LC and the other in DC.

Even number of stitches
Set up round (LC): *k1, yfsl1yo, repeat from * to the end of the round. Bring the LC yarn forward and leave it hanging in front of the work.
Set up round (DC): yf, *sl1yof, brp1, repeat from * to the end of the round. Bring the DC yarn back.
Round 1 (LC): yb, *brk1, yfsl1yo, repeat from * to the end of the round. Bring the LC yarn forward and leave it hanging in front of the work.
Round 1 (DC): yf, *sl1yof, brp1, repeat from * to the end of the round. Bring the DC yarn back.
Repeat round 1 (DC and LC)

Two-Color Garter Stitch in rounds

Please note that since the garter stitches are worked alongside the brioche stripes, each round is worked in both LC and DC, similar to brioche rounds.
Row 1 (LC): purl.
Row 1 (DC): knit.


Hat

Using 2 strands of yarn (LC and DC), cast on 96 sts, join to the beginning of the round and continue to work in-the-round. Place marker to mark the beginning of the round.

Setup Round (DS, LC): ((k1, p9) 2 times, (k1, yf sl1yo) 2 times) 4 times. 96 sts.
Setup Round (DS, DC): ((yf sl1yo, k9) 2 times, (yf sl1yo, brp) 2 times) 4 times.

Round 1 (LS, LC): (brk, p7, p2tog, br4st inc, p2tog tbl, p7, (brk, yf sl1yo) 2 times) 4 times. 104 sts.
Round 1 (LS, DC): (yf sl1yo, k8, (yf sl1yo, p1) 2 times, yf sl1yo, k8, (yf sl1yo, brp) 2 times) 4 times.

Round 2 (DS, LC): (brk, p6, p2tog, (brk, yf sl1yo) 2 times, brk, p2tog tbl, p6, (brk, yf sl1yo) 2 times) 4 times. 96 sts.
Round 2 (DS, DC): ((yf sl1yo, k7, (yf sl1yo, brp) 2 times) 2 times) 4 times.

Round 3 (LS, LC): ((brk, p7, (brk, yf sl1yo) 2 times) 2 times) 4 times.
Round 3 (LS, DC): repeat round 2.

Round 4 (DS, LC): repeat round 3.
Round 4 (DS, DC): repeat round 2.

Round 5 (LS, LC): (brk, p5, p2tog, brk, yf sl1yo, br4st inc, yf sl1yo, brk, p2tog tbl, p5, (brk, yf sl1yo) 2 times) 4 times. 104 sts.
Round 5 (LS, DC): (yf sl1yo, k6, yf sl1yo, brp, (yf sl1yo, p1) 2 times, yf sl1yo, brp, yf sl1yo, k6, (yf sl1yo, brp) 2 times) 4 times.

Round 6 (DS, LC): (brk, p4, p2tog, (brk, yf sl1yo) 4 times, brk, p2tog tbl, p4, (brk, yf sl1yo) 2 times) 4 times. 96 sts.
Round 6 (DS, DC): (yf sl1yo, k5, (yf sl1yo, brp) 4 times, yf sl1yo, k5, (yf sl1yo, brp) 2 times) 4 times.

Round 7 (LS, LC): (brk, p5, (brk, yf sl1yo) 4 times, brk, p5, (brk, yf sl1yo) 2 times) 4 times.
Round 7 (LS, DC): repeat round 6.

Round 8 (DS, LC): repeat round 7.
Round 8 (DS, DC): repeat round 6.

Round 9 (LS, LC): (brk, p3, p2tog, (brk, yf sl1yo) 2 times, br4st inc, (yf sl1yo, brk) 2 times, p2tog tbl, p3, (brk, yf sl1yo) 2 times) 4 times. 104 sts.
Round 9 (LS, DC): (yf sl1yo, k4, (yf sl1yo, brp) 2 times, (yf sl1yo, p1) 2 times, (yf sl1yo, brp) 2 times, yf sl1yo, k4, (yf sl1yo, brp) 2 times) 4 times.

Round 10 (DS, LC): (brk, p2, p2tog, (brk, yf sl1yo) 6 times, brk, p2tog tbl, p2, (brk, yf sl1yo) 2 times) 4 times. 96 sts.
Round 10 (DS, DC): (yf sl1yo, k3, (yf sl1yo, brp) 6 times, yf sl1yo, k3, (yf sl1yo, brp) 2 times) 4 times.

Round 11 (LS, LC): (brk, p3, (brk, yf sl1yo) 6 times, brk, p3, (brk, yf sl1yo) 2 times) 4 times.
Round 11 (LS, DC): repeat round 10.

Round 12 (DS, LC): repeat round 11.
Round 12 (DS, DC): repeat round 10.

Round 13 (LS, LC): (brk, p1, p2tog, (brk, yf sl1yo) 3 times, br4st inc, (yf sl1yo, brk) 3 times, p2tog tbl, p1, (brk, yf sl1yo) 2 times) 4 times. 104 sts.
Round 13 (LS, DC): (yf sl1yo, k2, (yf sl1yo, brp) 3 times, (yf sl1yo, p1) 2 times, (yf sl1yo, brp) 3 times, yf sl1yo, k2, (yf sl1yo, brp) 2 times) 4 times.

Round 14 (DS, LC): (brk, p2tog, (brk, yf sl1yo) 8 times, brk, p2tog tbl, (brk, yf sl1yo) 2 times) 4 times. 96 sts.
Round 14 (DS, DC): (yf sl1yo, k1, (yf sl1yo, brp) 8 times, yf sl1yo, k1, (yf sl1yo, brp) 2 times) 4 times.

Round 15 (LS, LC): ((brk, yf sl1yo) 12 times) 4 times.
Round 15 (LS, DC): ((yf sl1yo, brp) 12 times) 4 times.

Round 16 (DS, LC): repeat round 15.
Round 16 (DS, DC): repeat round 15.

Round 17 (LS, LC): (brk, yf sl1yo, brsssk, (yf sl1yo, brk) 2 times, yf sl1yo, br4st inc, (yf sl1yo, brk) 2 times, yf sl1yo, brk2tog, (yf sl1yo, brk) 2 times, yf sl1yo) 4 times.
Round 17 (LS, DC): ((yf sl1yo, brp) 4 times, (yf sl1yo, p1) 2 times, (yf sl1yo, brp) 6 times) 4 times.

Round 18 (DS, LC): repeat round 15.
Round 18 (DS, DC): repeat round 15.

Round 19 (LS, LC): repeat round 15.
Round 19 (LS, DC): repeat round 15.

Rounds 20 - 23: repeat rounds 16 - 19.

Round 24 (DS, LC): repeat round 15.
Round 24 (DS, DC): repeat round 15.

Round 25 (LS, LC): (brk, yf sl1yo, brsssk, (yf sl1yo, brk) 5 times, yf sl1yo, brk2tog, (yf sl1yo, brk) 2 times, yf sl1yo) 4 times. 80 sts.
Round 25 (LS, DC): ((yf sl1yo, brp) 10 times) 4 times.

Round 26 (DS, LC): ((brk, yf sl1yo) 10 times) 4 times.
Round 26 (DS, DC): repeat round 25.

Rounds 27 - 28: repeat round 26.

Round 29 (LS, LC): (brk, yf sl1yo, brsssk, (yf sl1yo, brk) 3 times, yf sl1yo, brk2tog, (yf sl1yo, brk) 2 times, yf sl1yo) 4 times. 64 sts.
Round 29 (LS, DC): ((yf sl1yo, brp) 8 times) 4 times.

Round 30 (DS, LC): ((brk, yf sl1yo) 8 times) 4 times.
Round 30 (DS, DC): repeat round 29.

Rounds 31 - 32: repeat round 30.

Round 33 (LS, LC): (brk, yf sl1yo, brsssk, yf sl1yo, brk, yf sl1yo, brk2tog, (yf sl1yo, brk) 2 times, yf sl1yo) 4 times. 48 sts.
Round 33 (LS, DC): ((yf sl1yo, brp) 6 times) 4 times.

Round 34 (DS, LC): ((brk, yf sl1yo) 6 times) 4 times.
Round 34 (DS, DC): repeat round 33.

Rounds 35 - 36: repeat round 34.

Round 37 (LS, LC): (brk, yf sl1yo, br4st-dec, (yf sl1yo, brk) 2 times, yf sl1yo) 4 times. 32 sts.
Round 37 (LS, DC): ((yf sl1yo, brp) 4 times) 4 times.

Round 38 (DS, LC): ((brk, yf sl1yo) 4 times) 4 times.
Round 38 (DS, DC): repeat round 37.

Rounds 39 - 40: repeat round 38.

Round 41 (LS, LC): (br4st-dec, yf sl1yo, brk, yf sl1yo) 4 times. 16 sts.
Round 41 (LS, DC): ((yf sl1yo, brp) 2 times) 4 times.

Round 42 (DS, LC): ((brk, yf sl1yo) 2 times) 4 times.
Round 42 (DS, DC): repeat round 41.

Cut yarn, leaving a 10" (25 cm) tail. Pull through all the remaining sts and secure.


Rib

Pick up and knit 82 sts along the bottom edge of the hat and work 1x1 rib for 10 rounds. Bind off. If you want a tighter rib, pu&k less stitches.


Finishing

Weave in ends. Block.

Enjoy!

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