The Basic Buzz Hat Pattern

If you had to pick a handknit wardrobe staple, what would it be? By now, you’ve most likely heard of a capsule wardrobe–a wardrobe comprised of versatile, quality pieces that look good alone and together; they’re the building blocks you reach for every time you get dressed. (The white t-shirt, the chambray shirt, the perfect jeans + wedge sandals are a good place to start.) Sure, you can add pieces every season (that’s where the neon shawls come in–thank you, Stephen West!) but the essence of the capsule wardrobe are the fundamentals and foundation pieces that are classic– season after season–made well, and make you look like a million bucks.

Insert the Basic Slouch Hat. For knitters, is there a more basic wardrobe staple than a hat? Chilly October morning? Throw on a hat. Taking the pups for their evening walk? Throw on a hat. Need to disguise your less-than-restful-night when you’re on school drop-off duty in the morning? Throw on a hat. We’re especially excited about this one, as it works for all genders, and is the perfect First Project for any knitter, any age. The pattern comes from our love of pairing a laceweight mohair with a fingering weight yarn to achieve new levels of texture and colorplay in our knitting–and to get DK-weight gauge at the same time. (Which, as you know, means a project that’s quicker to knit!)

This hat requires two yarns held together throughout–one fingering and one laceweight mohair or Suri alpaca–and size US 6 (4 mm) and US 4 (3.5 mm) needles.

Try similar colors, contrast colors, tonals, variegateds; whatever you choose (and changing it up with your next project!) will lend itself to a full range of texture and colorplay in your knitting. Still a little unsure about how your pairings might turn out? Read this blog post by Tin Can Knits that will shine some major light on holding mohair together with other yarns.

a few ideas for fingering weight options:
Hudson + West Weld (shown here in Tobacco and Dusk)
Brooklyn Tweed Peerie
Brooklyn Tweed Loft
Along Avec Anna Merino Fingering
Little Fox Vixen
McMullin Fiber Co. Posh Sock
Red Stag Fibre Dachas
Six and Seven Fiber Alfalfa
Quince & Co. Finch
Quince & Co. Tern

a few ideas for laceweight options:
Bella Filato Studio Bella Suri
Along Avec Anna Mohair Silk
Fangirl Yarn Mohair Silk
Little Fox Nuages
McMullin Fiber Co. Fluff
Six and Seven Fiber Maize
Wobble Gobble KidMo

This PDF pattern is a direct download.