Double Fisherman’s Beanie

This pattern uses fisherman’s rib to create a fisherman’s beanie—hence: The Double Fisherman’s. This classic, seamless design is meant to be folded once above the ears, fitting snugly against the head. To the untrained eye, the fisherman’s rib stitch looks like a single rib. But in fact, this ribbing is thick, defined, and almost three-dimensional in appearance. It is bouncy to the touch! The hat is designed to be the archetypal fisherman’s beanie, and some of the techniques are a little fiddly. While the pattern is straightforward, it will take concentration and care to execute. Do not be discouraged(!) this pattern is ideal for the knitter ready to try intermediate skills on a small project. Enjoy how simple changes can improve the finish of your creations. The relatively thick yarn on very small needles is intentional. Fisherman’s rib typically creates a short, wide fabric. By using DK weight yarn on size 0 needles, the resulting rib is dense and warm. The Italian cast-on can be tricky, but the result is an almost invisible edge that blends perfectly into ribbing. The hat is actually knit inside out, which allows for simpler decreases and a cleaner look once finished. Finally, the nature of Fisherman’s rib requires a couple of design concessions that might seem odd initially. Knit in the round, the hat has an odd number of stitches and all the decreases are double decreases. These two design features maintain the structure of the fabric, making sure there’s always a normal stitch between any stitches that are knit below or purled below. It will all make sense as you get knitting. Enjoy!