As autumn makes itself comfortable in the Northern hemisphere, making us reach for the hat drawer, I yearn for cosy woolens and quick knitting projects that can be enjoyed in the same season that they are made.

Keep is knitted in a new to me Stolen Stitches’ Nua, a soft, slightly tweedy yak, wool and cellulose blend with a dry, yielding hand. It knits beautifully to a sport weight gauge, retaining a fantastic stitch definition and enough stickiness to pace itself through the floats of stranded knitting. Choose nice round yarns with a high wool content for this hat.

• DIFFICULTY Intermediate – simple increases and decreases, stranded colourwork, knitting in the round, and simple finishing.

• MEASUREMENTS To fit head circumference: 18 (19 ½, 21, 22 ½, 24, 25) in / 44.5 (48, 52, 55.5, 59, 62.5) cm.

Finished hat circumference: 16 (17 ¼, 18 ¾, 20, 21 ¼, 22 ¾) in / 40 (43.5, 46.5, 50, 53.5, 56.5) cm
Finished length 7 ¾ (8 ¼, 8 ¾, 9 ¼, 9 ¾, 10 ¼) in / 19.5 (20.5, 22, 23, 24.5, 26) cm from cast on to the tip of the crown.
Sample shown in third size, modeled with 1 ½ in / 4 cm of negative ease.

• YARN Stolen Stitches, Nua (60% merino wool, 20% cellulose - linen/flax, 20% yak; 50g / 153 yds / 140m) 1 skein in each #9805 Capall (MC) and #9803 Hatter’s Teal Party (CC)

Substitute with approximately 40 (50, 60, 70, 80, 90) yds / 40 (45, 55, 65, 70, 80) m of sport weight yarn in MC and 55 (70, 80, 95, 110, 125) yds / 50 (60, 75, 85, 100, 110) m of sport weight yarn in CC that knits to the specified gauge.
Depending on the skein yardage you may be able to make two hats in the first three sizes out of your MC and CC skeins.

• GAUGE 24 sts and 40 rnds = 4 in / 10 cm in 2x2 rib pattern on 3mm (US 2.5) needles, measured when slightly stretched after blocking 25 sts and 30 rnds = 4 in / 10 cm in colourwork pattern on 3.5mm (US 4) needles after blocking 25 sts and 32 rnds = 4 in / 10 cm in st st on 3.25mm (US 3) needles after blocking

• NEEDLES AND NOTIONS Size 3mm (US 2.5) circular needle or set of double-pointed needles Size 3.25mm (US 3) circular needle or set of double-pointed needles Size 3.5mm (US 4) circular needle and/or set of double-pointed needles for crown shaping Always adjust needle size to obtain the correct gauge.

Stitch marker, tapestry needle.