If knit in worsted weight yarn, an adult hat will take between 90-110 yards. (The yardage listed above is because this can be made in multiple yarn weights.)

OccupyWallStreet and related groups in areas with cold climates are going to need warm hats—and other supplies, too.

Here is a gender neutral hat that can be adapted for multiple head sizes. While I usually charge for my design work, this pattern is nominally free. All I ask is that you donate something to one of the Occupy groups if you use this hat pattern: a second hat knit from this pattern, some other hand knit or crocheted item to make someone’s life more comfortable, a book, food, money, laundry, basic first aid supplies… See what they need. (If the Occupy movement is over by the time you see this pattern, please donate to the ACLU or your favorite organization concerned with free speech or economic inequality.)

I created the rib pattern by turning the letters of Occupy into numbers. There are six knit ribs in each repeat, and each rib has as many knit rows as its number in the alphabet: O = 15, C = 3, C=3, U=22, P=16, Y=25. There is no significance to the spiral on the crown.

This is written to be made inside out, which (since the right side is mostly reverse stockinette) has the advantage that you’ll mostly be knitting and that the letters will come from right to left (in knitting order). It has the disadvantage that you can’t see what’s happening on the right side so easily.

Techniques:*
Stretchy cast on of your choice, knit, purl, purl two together, slip stitch with yarn in front, working in the round.

Occupy Hat by Naomi Parkhurst is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.