£2 from every pattern sold will go to the British Red Cross to aid their work supporting the people of Ukraine.

The humanitarian crisis unfolding in Ukraine sent me running for thick yarn and big needles to whip up some warm hats for the refugees fleeing across Europe. But sometimes aid agencies on the ground need money more desperately than donated items. With this pattern you can do both, knit a hat to donate (if you wish) and know that funds from the sales of this pattern are going to the British Red Cross.

Method: This stranded colorwork hat is knit in the round from the brim up. Twisted cable ribbing is followed by lots of opportunities for playing with two or more contrasting colors.

Using aran/worsted weight 4 yarn this hat works up quickly making it the perfect gift or charity knitting. Designed using smaller needles and at a slightly tighter tension than usual for this yarn weight to result in a denser, more wind resistant fabric to combat cold winter winds.

This hat can be knitted on dpns, by magic loop, or on a short circular (in which case you will still need dpns for the crown decreases).

This versatile design is a great pattern to experiment with color. Changing how many colors as well as where you choose to use them, can produce a variety of different looks. The charts page contains four versions of the basic sunflower chart to give you some ideas, but these are not the only ways to change it up! A duplicate stitch tutorial complete with photos is also included.

Please note the colorwork design in this pattern is charted not written out. You need to be prepared to read and work from charts in order to enjoy knitting this design.

Size: This pattern is written in 4 sizes referred to throughout the pattern as XS, S, M, and L. Sizing has 1” – 2” (2.5 - 5 cm) of negative ease built in, so choose a size 1” – 2” (2.5 - 5 cm) smaller than the head circumference of the intended wearer.
Size XS: 15.25” (39 cm) finished hat circumference
Size S: 18.25” (46.5 cm) finished hat circumference
Size M: 21.25” (54 cm) finished hat circumference
Size L: 24.25” (61.5 cm) finished hat circumference

Yarn: You can use any aran / worsted weight yarn that you like and with which you can get tension/ gauge. I have chosen to use a 100% acrylic yarn for ease of laundering. This hat is perfect for using up any leftovers lurking in your stash, and any little bits that you can’t get a whole round out of can go in a scrappy pompom!

Please note I do not recommend using yarns with a high cotton content as cotton doesn’t stretch as much as other fibers and this will affect the fit of your hat.

The amounts of each color required will depend on how many colors you pick, where and how you choose to use them in the hat, and which size you are knitting. If you make a pompom this will take extra yarn (again varying by size).
As a guide for Hat A in size S I used:
MC – Sirdar Supersoft Aran Marina (discontinued) approx. 85 metres (93 yards)
CC1 – Sirdar Supersoft Aran Yellow (discontinued) approx. 25 metres (28 yards)
CC2 – Stylecraft Special Aran 1004 Dark Brown approx. 12 metres (13 yards)
Pompom – approx. 26 metres (28 yards)
For Hat B in size S I used:
MC – Sirdar Supersoft Aran Marina (discontinued) approx. 35 metres (38 yards)
CC1 – Sirdar Supersoft Aran Yellow (discontinued) approx. 20 metres (22 yards)
CC2 – Sirdar Hayfield Bonus Aran 872 Barley approx. 20 metres (22 yards)
Ribbing + 3 plain rounds – Robin Aran with wool (discontinued) approx. 30 metres (33 yards)
Pompom – approx. 26 metres (28 yards)
For Hat C in size XS I used:
MC – Sirdar Supersoft Aran 870 Denim approx. 80 metres (87 yards)
CC1 – Sirdar Supersoft Aran Yellow (discontinued) approx. 20 metres (22 yards)
CC2 – Sirdar Hayfield Bonus Aran 872 Barley approx. 10 metres (11 yards)