Our favourite swatchless hat pattern just got an update! Musselburgh now includes 4 new, finer gauges – perfect for fine sock yarns like this merino nylon blend from Weku Yarns.

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Pattern accessibility There are two versions of this pattern pdf available. Print, and low vision.

Musselburgh
The original swatchless hat pattern: a double-layered beanie with 4-point crown shaping. The multi-gauge pattern now includes 9 gauges, for yarn weights between light fingering and DK, and 6 sizes.

Have a single skein of yarn you’re not sure what to do with? Need something simple to keep your hands busy during zoom meetings? Looking for a gift that everyone will appreciate? Want to cast on right away without any prep? Cast on today, no swatching required, and discover for yourself why so many knitters have fallen in love with Musselburgh.

In what is essentially a three step project you’ll start with a centre-out cast-on and increase for the first crown; the next part is a beautifully meditative knit (perfect for those zoom calls!) of stockinette in the round; finally, you will finish off the hat by mirroring the initial shaping with decreases. This simple canvas is perfect for exploring your creativity through yarn choice, stripes or colour blocking. The hat is fully reversible, so working each half in a different colour or stripe sequence can turn it into two completely different hats in one.

Adventurous beginner looking to grow your skills? See our video Getting started with Musselburgh.

Yarn
Heavy laceweight to DK weight yarn.
Exact yardage will depend on size, gauge and yarn used.

Shown in
Weku Enjoli Merino/Nylon Sock (75% Superwash Merino, 25% Nylon, 425m, 100g) in Enjoli. Adult Medium.

Neighborhood Fiber Co Studio Sock (100% Merino, 400 yds / 366m, 4oz / 114g) in Broadway Market. Adult Large.

Neighborhood Fiber Co Rustic Fingering (100% Merino, 475yds / 434m, 4oz / 114g) in Gwynn Oak. Held with Neighborhood Fiber Co Loft (60% Mohair, 40% silk, 1oz / 28g, 350 yds / 320m) in Gwynn Oak. Child / Adult Small.

Rauma Lamull (100% Norwegian wool, 273 yds / 250m, 50g) in colour 36. Adult Medium.

The Uncommon Thread Tough Sock (80% BFL, 20% nylon, 400yds / 366m, 100g) in Dartmoor. Adult Medium.

Needles
Dpns or circulars for your preferred method of working small circumferences in the round
16” / 40cm circular (for sizes above baby)
Choose a size based on your knowledge of your personal tension and the recommended needle size for your yarn. If using sock yarn use a needle a couple of sizes larger than you would use for socks.

Notions
Stitch markers

Gauge
Pattern includes directions for gauges of 9, 8.5, 8, 7.5, 7, 6.5, 6, 5.5 and 5 stitches per inch / 2.5cm

Directions are given for measuring the gauge while working the hat, but if you prefer to swatch do so in the round

Low vision details: 

• The main text is black 24pt sans serif and all text is black on a white background.
• No italics are used
• The directions are in written form in LV pdf
• Images have alt text

Screen readers:
The low vision version is tagged to work with screen reading software and have been tested. Images have alt text. Abbreviations are used in the directions, they are defined but may be read aloud oddly. If this is something you use we’d love your feedback on how we could improve the pattern formatting for screen readers.