Seamless and knit in the round, Mommo Hat is an excellent introduction to stranded colorwork. In the Fair Isle tradition, there are never more than two colors in play in any row. Stranded knitting is easiest when using a “sticky yarn,” such as Shetland or similar wool. The same quality that makes it a bit itchy (sticky) make it a very easy yarn for stranded colorwork, though not essential. Any yarn that meets the gauge will work! This pattern will fit most adult (and teen) heads.

The quantities used for the colorwork are quite small--so dig into your stash. Or consider if you buy all five colors you will have plenty to make five hats! In addition, experiment with using fewer colors for a less complex motif. I prefer to knit Fair Isle hats with Jamieson’s of Shetland Spindrift--the skeins are small, the price reasonable, and the color pallette endless!

To fancy up the fairly simple design, I’ve added a Tubular Cast-On in a contrasting color—it is optional, but a technique worth knowing.