Knitting this beanie for my upcoming winter Danube River cruise in Nov/Dec 2025. See also leg warmers. I will roll up ribbing as I don’t suit a close fitting beanie.

Decided on 10% negative ease on circumference of 22 inches = 20.2 inches or round down to 20 inches. Cast on 76 stitches with 5mm needle.

Knitting the beanie
Ribbing
Even with 10% negative ease and 76 stitches, beanie was still too loose! After three rib rows changed from 5mm needle to 3.5mm to tighten the brim. After 8cm of ribbing beanie brim fit snugly so changed back to 5mm needles.

Stockinettte and main body of beanie
Continued stockinette with 5mm needle for 12cm from end of ribbing until I ran out of Landscapes yarn.

Will continue with Kringle Sparkle though it requires a 4mm needle and gauge is 20 stitches per 10cm or 5 stitches per inch. Current circumference of beanie is around 46cm or 18 inches and stitch count is 76 inches. Need to add increases to maintain circumference of 18 inches. So 5 stitches of Kringle x 18 inch circumference =90. Then 90-76 =14 extra stitches/ increases needed using 4mm needle to knit rest of beanie.

False seam
Will create a false seam used by cheezhead65 - video (Knit to desired length, then drop one stitch to create a ladder all the way down from top of beanie to ribbing. See photos. Then do bind off.) I really enjoyed this technique.

Bindoff
Decided on three needle bind off using 4.5mm needle (rather than 4mm), on the inside (rather than outside) after seeing Burkey’s variations. The sparkle yarn used to finish last rows resulted in a floppy appearance so thought the needle bindoff would give it some shape. Can always add definition on outside corners if needed like others have done. Not needed!

Three needle bind off video

Finished length - 30cm/12 inches, before rolling or folding brim

For head cirmference 55cm

CALCULATIONS
Negative ease calculation based on this video https://youtu.be/j-RD6u3Co2c?si=OS1nEDXQG5TpWMsk

For a standard snug-fitting beanie, plan for 1 to 2 inches of negative ease, meaning the finished hat’s circumference should be 1–2 inches smaller than your head’s circumference. For a looser fit, use about 1 inch, and for a very snug fit, use 2–3 inches. Factors like the yarn’s stretchiness and the hat’s style will influence the final amount of ease you need.

Gauge
Knitted test swatch with 5mm needles
15 stitches in 4 inches=3.75 stitches per inch
Head circumference 22 inches but with negative ease of 2 inches so 20 inches
20 x 3.75 =75 cast on (76 for 2x2 ribbing)
Weird but checked gauge after ribbing and gauge was 18 stitches in 4 inches/10cm

(Alternative: 1 inch negative ease 21 x 3.75 = 78.75 (79)