Brioche Steps Hat

Free Hat Knitting Pattern

You can purchase this hat and matching scarf from my Etsy shop.

Welcome to the Brioche Steps Hat knitting pattern! This pattern is part of the Brioche Steps set, which also includes a matching scarf pattern. The hat is knitted in-the-round from the bottom edge up using two-color brioche stitch and two-color garter stitch. The hat features a beautiful transition between dark grey, grey, and light grey yarns for the LC and black yarn for the DC. The top of the hat is shaped with garter stitch and brioche decreases, resulting in a cozy and stylish accessory for colder weather.

If you've already knitted the Brioche Steps scarf, you'll be familiar with the techniques used in this pattern. And if you're new to brioche stitch, don't worry – the pattern includes detailed instructions and tips for working this stitch pattern. With a little practice, you'll be creating a gorgeous two-color brioche fabric in no time!

This pattern is suitable for intermediate-level knitters who are comfortable with basic brioche stitch techniques, as well as knitting in the round and decreasing. So grab your needles and your favorite yarn, and let's get started on the Brioche Steps Hat!

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

Size: one size fits an average adult’s head.

Finished measurements: Hat circumference: 22” (55 cm), unstretched; hat stretches to fit most adult heads
Height from edge of brim to top center of crown: 8" (20 cm).

Materials: Knit Picks (affiliate link) Wool of the Andes 100% wool worsted weight yarn 110 yards (101 meters) / 50 grams, color Cobblestone Heather – 1 skein. (LC1)
Knit Picks (affiliate link) Wool of the Andes 100% wool worsted weight yarn 110 yards (101 meters) / 50 grams, color Silver – 1 skein. (LC2)
Knit Picks (affiliate link) Wool of the Andes 100% wool worsted weight yarn 110 yards (101 meters) / 50 grams, color Dove Heather – 1 skein. (LC3)
Knit Picks (affiliate link) Wool of the Andes 100% wool worsted weight yarn 110 yards (101 meters) / 50 grams, color Coal – 1 skein. (DC)

Needles: US 6 (4.0 mm) 21” (52 cm) circular needles and double pointed needles (dpn) for the top of the hat, OR SIZE NEEDED TO OBTAIN GAUGE

Gauge: 16 sts x 32 rows = 4" (10 cm) in garter stitch in the round.
Please note, that 1 round of brioche consists of 2 rounds: 1 round of LC (light color) and 1 round of DC (dark color).

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.
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
br4st-dec –brioche 4 st decrease (worked over 5 sts, 4 sts dec): slip first brioche st knitwise, slip brp 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 brp 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.
LC – light color
DC- dark color
k – knit
p – purl


Pattern Notes:

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 (DC) : *k1, yfsl1yo, repeat from * to the end of the round. Bring the DC yarn forward and leave it hanging in front of the work.
Set up round (LC): yf, *sl1yof, brp1, repeat from * to the end of the round. Bring the LC yarn forward and leave it hanging in front of the work. Bring the DC yarn back.
Round 1 (DC): yb, *brk1, yfsl1yo, repeat from * to the end of the round. Bring the DC yarn forward and leave it hanging in front of the work. Bring the LC yarn back.
Round 1 (LC): yf, *sl1yof, brp1, repeat from * to the end of the round. Bring the LC yarn forward and leave it hanging in front of the work. 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 consists of 2 and, similar to brioche rounds is worked first in DC, then in LC.

Round 1 (LC): purl.
Round 1 (DC): knit.

Color Sequence

Rows 1-12 - LC1
Rows 13-24 - LC2
Rows 25-40 - LC3

DC is the same for all rows.

Short Overview of the pattern

The hat is knitted in-the-round from the bottom edge up in 2-color brioche stitch and 2-color garter stitch. The top of the hat is shaped with garter stitch and brioche decreases. The change of color is achieved by using dark grey, grey and light grey yarns for the LC and black yarn for the DC.


Hat

Using 2 strands of yarn (LC and DC), cast on 72 sts, join and continue to work in rounds. Place a marker to mark the beginning of the round.

Round 1 (LC1): (((K1, yf sl1yo) × 2, k1, p4) × 4) twice. (72 sts)
Round 1 (DC): (((Yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k4) × 4) twice.

Round 2 (LC1): (((Brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p4) × 4) twice.
Round 2 (DC): (((Yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k4) × 4) twice.

Rounds 3-12: repeat round 2 (both LC and DC)

Round 13 (LC2): (((Brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p4) × 2, k5, p4, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p4) twice.
Round 13 (DC): ((Yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k4, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k13, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k4) twice.

Round 14 (LC2): ((Brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p4, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p13, (brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p4) twice.
Round 14 (DC): ((Yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k4, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k13, (yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k4) twice.

Rounds 15-24: repeat round 14 (both LC and DC)

Round 25 (LC3): ((Brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p4, k5, p13, k5, p4) twice.
Round 25 (DC): ((Yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k31) twice.

Round 26 (LC3): ((Brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p31) twice.
Round 26 (DC): ((Yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k31) twice.

Rounds 27-32: repeat round 26 (both LC and DC)

Round 33 (LC3): ((Brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p31) twice.
Round 33 (DC): ((Yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k1, (ssk, k7) × 3, ssk, k1) twice. (64 sts)

Round 34 (LC3): ((Brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p27) twice.
Round 34 (DC): ((Yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k1, (ssk, k6) × 3, ssk) twice. (56 sts)

Round 35 (LC3): ((Brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p23) twice.
Round 35 (DC): ((Yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, (ssk, k5) × 3, ssk) twice. (48 sts)

Round 36 (LC3): ((Brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p19) twice.
Round 36 (DC): ((Yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k1, (ssk, k4) × 3) twice. (42 sts)

Round 37 (LC3): ((Brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p16) twice.
Round 37 (DC): ((Yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k4, (k2tog, k3) × 2, k2tog) twice. (36 sts)

Round 38 (LC3): ((Brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p13) twice.
Round 38 (DC): ((Yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k1, (ssk, k2) × 3) twice. (30 sts)

Round 39 (LC3): ((Brk, yf sl1yo) × 2, brk, p10) twice.
Round 39 (DC): ((Yf sl1yo, brp) × 2, yf sl1yo, k2, (k2tog, k1) × 2, k2tog) twice. (24 sts)

Round 40 (LC3): (Brcdd, p7) twice. (16 sts)

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


Finishing

Weave in ends.

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