Sunny Days Bucket Hat!

Hi everyone! I’m Krista Ann (@explorewithknitsy on IG) & I’m so happy to be back to writing for Clover’s blog! With summer & its heat fully in motion, it’s time to break out the beach gear – AND the beach knitting! ?? No knitter’s beach bag would be complete without a fun and summery cotton hat. Grab your favorite cotton yarn in the brightest and most summery colors you can find, and whip up this striped bucket hat before your next beach outing or bring the project along to your next lakeside adventure! Constructed with a double thick brim for maximum sun protection, this beachy hat is a quick (and really fun!) knit. Be sure to use a high-quality cotton yarn so that you can throw it in the washing machine at the end of a sandy day. You can have fun with the colors and make lots of different colored stripes, or you can knit the entire hat using a single color if you like to keep things simple. No matter what color choices you make – I bet you won’t be able to make just one of them! Time to knit a new bucket hat to match every bikini in your swim collection! ?

MATERIALS:

Needles

PRO Takumi Circular Knitting Needle (16in – 4.5mm)

Yarn

Cascade “Noble Cotton”

100% Mercerized Long Staple Cotton

220 yards/202 meters; DK

1 skein each in two contrasting colors

Sample done in Color 40 Deep Lagoon (C1) and 30 Yellow (C2)

Notions

Darning Needle (SKU: 339)

Scissors (SKU: 493/CW)

Stitch Markers (SKU: 329)

Scrap Yarn and Crochet Hook for Provisional Cast On

Gauge

20 sts = 4 inches / 10 cm in stockinette stitch

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS:

Hat fits the average adult female head (approx. 22 in/56 cm). Finished circumference above the brim is 20 in/51 cm).

ABBREVIATIONS:

bor – beginning of round

C1 – color 1

C2 – color 2

CO – cast on

K2tog – knit two together (1 st dec)

M1L – make one left (1 st inc)

rnd/rnds – round/rounds

sm – stitch marker

st/sts – stitch/stitches

NOTES:

When working the crown decreasing section, use second 16-inch circular needle to work in the round when stitches become too tight on one needle.

THE PATTERN:

Using favorite provisional cast on and C1, CO 100 sts.

Join to work in the round. Be careful not to twist. Place sm to note bor.

Set Up Rnd 1 (C1): Knit

Set Up Rnd 2 (C1): *K3, M1L* to last st, K1 – 133 sts

Rnds 1 & 2 (C2): Knit

Rnds 3 & 4 (C1): Knit

Work Rnds 1-4 a total of 5 times.

Next Rnd (C1): Purl

Next Rnd (C1): Knit

Work Rnds 1-4 another 4 times.

Work Rnds 1-2 once more.

Next Rnd (C1): *K2, K2tog* to last st, K1 – 100 sts

Next Rnd: Remove provisional CO and put all live sts onto second circular needle. Fold brim of hat under so it folds in half along the purl round. Line up needles parallel to each other and work one round knitting one stitch off front needle and one stitch off back needle together. (Similar to a three-needle bind off, but you are not binding off.)

Work Rnds 1-4 a total of 7 times.

Crown Decreasing

Rnd 1 (C2): Knit

Rnd 2 (C2): *K8, K2tog* around – 90 sts

Rnd 3 (C1): Knit

Rnd 4 (C1): *K7, K2tog* around – 80 sts

Rnd 5 (C2): Knit

Rnd 6 (C2): *K6, K2tog* around – 70 sts

Rnd 7 (C1): Knit

Rnd 8 (C1): *K5, K2tog* around – 60 sts

Rnd 9 (C2): Knit

Rnd 10 (C2): *K4, K2tog* around – 50 sts