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Perfect for an adventurous beginner, or any knitter looking for a fun, quick project, Swivel is a great way to use up a skein of self-striping yarn, or a couple of leftover partial balls, striped together.

The pattern PDF includes two complete patterns, for two weights/gauges—the same construction and pattern concept, with different stitch and row counts.

For the Bulky Version, use either bulky weight yarn(s) or fingering weight held triple, or aran weight also works for a slightly smaller and/or lighter hat (notes are included).

Yarns used in the samples include Knit Picks Chroma in two colorways held together, Knit Picks Muse Sock held triple (using this technique), and other bulky or aran weight yarns held normally.

This hat is worked flat, from side to side, until it’s wide enough to fit around your head, at which point the beginning and ending edges are grafted or seamed together. The crown is shaped with short rows, the swivel is made with simple increases and decreases, and the stretchy brim is sideways garter stitch.

The shaping is made with short rows, which can be worked as basic wrap+turns, or using German short rows or another method of choice. The pattern allows the knitter to choose from a provisional cast-on or a standard cast-on, and from closing the hat with grafting, a 3-needle bind-off, or sewing the seam, making it a perfect pattern for learning some new techniques.

The pattern includes technique notes, with tutorials for provisional cast-on, German short rows, and grafting, details for how to work with multiple colors and sizing variations, and details about twelve sample hats.

Yarn choice
You may choose a yarn with built-in color changes; a self- striping yarn (longer color sections) will make swirling vertical stripes around the hat, whereas a variegated yarn (small color sections) will just make an overall swirling look without defined stripes. Or, create your own stripes/blocks by using two or more yarns and switching between colors.

Sizing
Size measurements are included, but the circumference is determined by when you stop working, so you can size yours as you knit by trying it on around your head—it should stretch around comfortably. All sizes have the same height, but height can be adjusted by slightly changing your gauge, or adding or subtracting stitches.

This is a re-design of a pattern that was originally published on the leethal blog in 2007. It’s basically the same pattern (same stitch count and stitch patterning) but much improved now. Most of the projects were made using that original free version, which resulted in hats that look basically the same as the new pattern, but the details and instructions are better now!