The design for Passerine Hat emerged out of a love for birds and fascination with their behavior and traits. Named for the order of birds characterized by perching habits, this fitted hat is worked seamlessly in the round, from ribbing to crown. It features a stranded bird motif in two contrasting colors and a crisp ribbing with a contrasting color accent.

This pattern is recommended for intermediate-level knitters who have experience with stranded colorwork, reading from charts, and knitting in the round.

The first hat pictured was created using Tosh Merino Light Unicorn Tails in the Celadon colorway for the main color and a Unicorn Tail in the Dirty Panther colorway for the contrast color. The second hat pictured also uses Tosh Merino Light (Antique Lace for the main color and Fog for the contrast color).

The finished item measures approximately 20” in circumference and 9” from ribbing to the crown.

Skills required
—Knitting in the round
—Twisted stitches
—Stranded colorwork (managing long floats)
—Working from charts
—Basic decreases (k2tog)

Materials
—Three Unicorn Tails or approximately 160 yards of main color (light) in fingering weight yarn
—One Unicorn Tail or approximately 52 yards of contrast color (dark) in fingering weight yarn
—One 16” circular needle, US size 2
—One 16” circular needle, US size 3 (or size required to get gauge)
—US size 3 DPNs or a longer circular needle for Magic Loop method
—Stitch markers
—Darning needle for weaving ends in

This pattern has been tech edited by Katharine A. Seaman.