3 sizes, 2 shapes, 3 different Thistles knit in worsted weight.
Copyright Lisa McFetridge 2014

The next stop on my hat journey around the world is a favourite place to visit, Scotland. I generally try to stay away from the most familiar symbols when designing these hats, but Scotland is the exception. The Thistle is the ubiquitous symbol of Scotland, found in green fields under deep blue skies, and sometimes iron grey skies. It is also found many places here in the United States. They cover my mother-in-law’s farm, growing in the thicket around the barn. There are 3 different choices for the Thistle graph, the first, more stylized graph is inspired by an old Scottish embroidery sampler, the second is taken from life, made to look more like the actual flower and a third, a combination of the other two. Pick the one you like best.

Available in two shapes, SLIM SLOUCH (shown upper left), and W-I-D-E SLOUCH (shown upper right); and in three sizes SMALL (infant/toddler - shown upper right), MEDIUM (child/small adult) & LARGE (adult/large adult - shown upper left). It is best to use the brim circumference to decide the size to make. The LARGE is generously sized as many like their slouch hats to fit loosely. The SLIM SLOUCH is less full through the width, where the W-I-D-E SLOUCH adds about one-third of the cast-on width to the circumference of the hat to add extra fullness. Definitely stashbust for the Thistles if possible! Use any greens, purples or pinks living in your stash as they are small amounts. The turned hem brim can be accomplished with a regular cast on as well as a provisional cast on, instructions are given for regular cast on. I pick up 1 st at a time to avoid using a second set of needles, the Vogue knitting tutorial picks up all the cast on stitches on a second set of needles. Either works! Tutorial links are provided for both cast on methods at end of pattern. See NOTES below about shortening this LONG SLOUCHY HAT.

Materials:

Slim Slouch (grey striped hat in photo)
Finished Measurements:
Finished Length: 8.5 (10.5, 12.5) inches / 21.5 (26.5, 32) cm
Finished Circumference at brim: 16 (18, 20.5) inches / 41 (47, 53.5) cm

Yarn:
Cascade 220
MC (90, 100, 110) yds / (83, 91, 101) m JET
CC1 (35, 50, 65) yds / (32, 46, 60) m CHARCOAL
CC2 (20, 25, 30) yds / (19, 23 ,28) m CELERY HEATHER for Leaves
CC3 (20, 25, 30) yds / (19, 23, 28) m PEONY PINK HEATHER for Flower Petals

W-I-D-E Slouch Finished Measurements: (Blue hat in photo)
Finished Length: 8.5 (10.5, 12.5) inches / 24 (26, 26) cm
Finished Circumference above brim: 16 (18, 20.5) inches / 41 (47, 53.5) cm

Knit Picks Wool of the Andes & WOA Superwash
MC (100, 110, 120 ) yds / (91, 10, 111) m CIEL (WOA)
CC1 (40, 55, 70) yds / (35, 50, 65) m DOVE HEATHER (WOA Superwash)
CC2 (20, 25, 30) yds / (19, 23, 28) m GREEN TEA HEATHER (WOA) for Leaves
CC3 (20, 25, 30) yds / (19, 23, 28) m ROUGE (WOA Superwash) for Flower Petals

ITEMS FOR BOTH HATS:
Needles:
2 sets US 7 (4.5mm) 16 or 24 inch circular needles, or size to obtain gauge
Set of DPNs in same size needles as above

Notions:
Seam Needle
Stitch Markers

Gauge:
21 sts x 26 rows = 4” /10 cm in stranded St st in the round, blocked.