Fancy the same warm, squishy hug for your head that your Garter Squish jumper gives your body? You may even have a leftover skein destined to become a matching hat? This was my inspiration for the pattern… Well, and a husband with a chilly head!

The Garter Squish Beanie is knit seamlessly in the round from the top down using a Pinhole cast on (I have a video demonstration on my website to aid, if needed!). The hat mimics the ‘jogless’ garter stitch pattern and slip stitch design which originated with the Garter Squish Jumpers, while the gentle ‘swirl’ of slip stitches around the crown gives it its own identity. The slip stitch design runs from the centre top of the beanie down to the 1x1 ribbed brim.

Available in a full range of sizes, but the real beauty of the top-down construction is that the beanie can be easily customised both for length and overall circumference! Try on as you go and make it suit you!

Size Range

XS (Small, Medium, Large, XL).

Finished beanie circumference
14” (16”, 18”, 20”, 22”) / 35.5cm (40.5cm, 45.5cm, 51cm, 56.5cm) measured from the bottom of the beanie body before the start of the ribbed brim.

The beanie is designed with 3” (7.5cm) negative ease, apart from the first size where 1-2” negative ease is recommended. Therefore, pick a size smaller than the actual head circumference.

Finished beanie length
7.5” (8”, 8.5”, 9.25”, 9.75”) / 18cm (19cm, 20.5cm, 22cm, 23.5cm)
The length is measured from the centre top (crown/cast on) to the bottom of the brim, along the curve of the beanie.

Yarn Requirements

Two strands of heavy DK weight yarn held together. E.g. Drops Karisma has 100m (109yds) per 50g.

Any Chunky weight yarn with approximately 100m (109yds) per 100g. Check out what your favourite indie dyer has to offer!

Required Meterage/Yardage

XS (Small, Medium, Large, XL).

66 (74, 85, 97, 110)m / 72 (81, 93, 106, 120)yds.
This equates to 2 (2, 2, 2, 4) balls of Drops Karisma, 100m (109yds) per 50g.
OR
1 (1, 1, 1, 2) skeins of Superwash Merino Chunky, 100m (109yds) per 100g.

Be aware that changes to the overall length of the Beanie will affect the amount of yarn used and may require more yarn.

Needles and Notions

Needles

7mm (US size 10 ¾) for the main body of the Beanie and 6mm (US size 10) for the ribbed brim OR size needed to get gauge.
Double Pointed Needles (DPN’s) in the larger size may be useful for the pinhole cast on and initial rounds. Please see my video tutorial for instructions on how to do the pin hole cast on and initial rounds.

Circular needles in both sizes - length suitable to knit your chosen size in the round. For example, the baby size beanie has a finished circumference of 14in (35.5cm) therefore choose a circular needle shorter than this to knit comfortably in the round OR a single circular needle long enough for the magic loop method.

7mm (US size 10 ¾) double pointed needles can be used for the Pinhole cast on and initial rounds if you prefer.

Notions

• 6 stitch markers