Fun Free Fair Isle Hat Pattern
The Crosspoint Fair Isle Hat Pattern
I have another fair isle hat pattern to share with you today! As you may remember from my last post, the Hockey Beanie I designed for my son, I became infatuated with fair isle back in December. I ended up creating a series of hat designs that I hope to release every couple of weeks for the remainder of this winter season. This hat, the Crosspoint Beanie is a modern design with a lot of contrast. I chose to work with back, white, and a garnet red to make it extra striking -but feel free to change it up and make it your own!
Why the Fair Isle Obsession?
Over the years, I’ve learned that fair isle knitting is such a fun and easy way to add colour and personality to hand knit projects. And it’s is everywhere right now! All the winter shops are full of colourwork hats and sweaters, which is great for inspiration. I love walking around the mall to look for designs and ideas to take home and make my own.
If you enjoy projects that work up quickly and give you a bit of instant gratification, you’ll probably enjoy knitting fair isle. You see the design come to life after every round, and since you’re working in the round in stockinette stitch, the progress is quick too!There is of course a learning curve, but that’s also part of the fun! Did you know that when you learn something new you get a hit of dopamine, which is great for your overall mood and sense of accomplishment? So, if you haven’t tried fair isle, please give it a shot because it’s one of the most rewarding knitting techniques and opens up a new world of patterns that you will feel confident following.
I know it can seem intimidating to knit with more than one yarn colour, so here’s a YouTube video that I created a few years ago on stranded knitting (which is just another way to say fair isle knitting).
A Quick Note on the Hat Brim
I added an extra-long brim to this hat so you can fold it over for extra warmth. If you prefer a shorter brim, feel free to change it. You can make it as long or as short as you like.
I also recommend using my stretchy cast on for ribbing (video below). It’s the best method I’ve found for creating an edge that’s both stretchy and sturdy. It works by alternating the Long Tail Cast On and the German Twisted Cast On, and I put together a quick video to walk you through it too!
Share & Inspire!
I hope you love this pattern as much as I enjoyed creating it! If you do, feel free to share the link to this page on your social media platforms or Pinterest account. Sharing not only helps more knitters discover these patterns, but it also supports my work in a huge way.
I’m truly grateful for all of you who help spread the word about this site and my patterns. Your support means the world to me!
❤️ Alnaar
Please note that some of the links on this page are affiliate links and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. I use all of the products listed on this page and recommend them because they are companies that I have found helpful and trustworthy. Please let me know if you have any questions about anything I have recommended!
Free Crosspoint Fair Isle Hat Pattern
Materials & Supplies:
You will need the following supplies to knit one hat
- Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Worsted Weight Yarn in the following colours:
- Colour A: Coal (Approx. 110 yards for adult / 95 yards for child)
- Colour B: White (Approx. 45 yards for adult / 40 yards for child)
- Colour C: Garnet Heather (Approx. 16 yards for adult / 14 yards for child)
- Size 5 (3.75 mm) circular Knitting needles (16″ cord)
- Size 8 (5 mm) circular knitting needles (16″ cord)
- Size 8 (5 mm) double pointed needles
- Scissors
- Tapestry/yarn needle
- Stitch markers
Ad Free PDF File
The free knitting pattern for this fair isle hat is available right here on this page, as this site is sustained through ad support.
If you like things a little more streamlined, I’ve put together an ad-free, downloadable PDF version of the pattern. It’s perfect for easy printing and can be can be purchased through My Ravelry Store or by clicking the “Purchase PDF File” button to the right.
Thank you so much for your support! It means the world to me, and I’m beyond grateful to be able to share my passion with you all.
Gauge
20 stitches, 22 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch.
Sizes
- Child (head circumference 18-20 inches).
- Adult (head circumference 21-24 inches).
Abbreviations
K: Knit
P: Purl
St: Stitch
Pm: Place stitch marker
Sm: Slip stitch marker
K2tog: Knit two stitches together
Ssk: Slip 2 stitches knitwise, one at a time, then knit them together through the back loops
Special Stitches
Stockinette Stitch: Knit every stitch when working in the round.
1X1 Rib Stitch: *K1, p1; repeat from * to end of round.
Pattern Notes – Crosspoint Fair Isle Hat
This is a Fair Isle (also called stranded knitting) pattern.
The hat is knit in the round from the bottom up with a 1×1 ribbed brim followed by a Fair Isle chart for the colourwork section. If you are new to Fair Isle or stranded knitting, see the Video Links below for a tutorial on how to change colours and hold your yarn.
Because the hat is knit in the round, circular needles are required. You may switch to double-pointed needles when shaping the crown, or use the magic loop method with a long circular needle instead.
Instructions are written for both sizes as child (adult). For example, cast on 84 (96) means cast on 84 stitches for the child size and 96 stitches for the adult size.
More Free Knit Hat Patterns from Leelee Knits!
Free Crosspoint Fair Isle Hat Pattern
Using size 5 circular needles and Colour A, cast on 84(96) stitches. Place a stitch marker to mark the beginning of the round and then join, being careful not to twist the stitches.
Work in the round with 1X1 rib stitch for the brim until it measures 4.5(4.75) inches.
Change to size 8 circular needles and knit the remainder of the hat in stockinette stitch, following the chart on the next page for the size you are making.
The charts are read from the bottom up, with each square representing one stitch. Because the hat is knit in the round, read each chart row from right to left. Each chart row corresponds to one round of knitting. Note: the child and adult charts have different row counts. Work all rows shown for the size you are making.
After completing the final round of the chart, place stitch markers after every 21 (24) stitches to divide the hat into four sections. You will now begin shaping the crown.
Shaping the Crown of Your Beanie
Round 1: Knit all stitches.
Round 2: *K1, k2tog, k to two stitches before the next marker, ssk, slip marker; repeat from * to end of round.
Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until 12(16) stitches remain (switch to double-pointed needles or magic loop as needed when stitches become too few to comfortably fit on the circular needle).
When 12(16) stitches remain, cut the yarn, leaving an 8–12″ tail. Thread the tail onto a yarn needle, draw it through the remaining stitches, and pull tight to close the crown.
Bring the tail to the inside of the hat and secure it. Weave in all ends and wet block to relax the stitches. Wet blocking is highly recommended for stranded knitting, as it helps even out the stitches and makes the colour work look tidier.
Pattern PDF File
I hope you enjoyed this free knitting pattern for the Crosspoint Fair Isle Hat.
If you’d like your own copy, the Ad-Free PDF file (which will be emailed to you automatically) can be purchased through Ravelry, or by clicking the “Purchase PDF File” button to the right.
Thank you so much for your support! It means the world to me, and I’m beyond grateful to be able to share my passion with you all.
