You know that single skein of yarn in your stash that’s made of luxurious fibers (cashmere, alpaca, qiviut, yak down, angora…)? It’s calling your name, but whatever will you knit with it? This hat lets all the gorgeous qualities of those luxury yarns shine.

Knit with just one skein of a sportweight yarn, this hat’s pleasantly nubbly texture is simple to work and shows off either the fiber’s gorgeous natural color or the depth of the hand-dyed color.

The styling suits both men and women. In fact, I’ve named the hat Aftershave because I originally knit it with my husband in mind. He shaves his head completely, and I wanted him to have a luxuriously soft hat to warm his smooth pate just after shaving.

Materials:

• Bijou Basin Ranch Lhasa Wilderness (75% yak down, 25% bamboo; 180 yds / 165m per 2 oz / 58g skein); 1 skein, shown in color #11

Sample used 170 yds. Depending on slight variations in gauge, you may need a second skein for the larger size. If substituting yarns, select a sportweight yarn that typically has a gauge of 6 sts/inch that has a lot of drape—yarns that contain a substantial portion of luxury fibers such as alpaca or cashmere are a perfect choice.

• 16-inch US 4 circular needle, or size needed to obtain gauge
• US 4 needles for knitting small circumferences: dpns, 2 circs, or 1 long circ for magic loop, as you prefer
• 16-inch US 3 circular needle
• Stitch marker
• Yarn needle

Further sizing info:

Finished height: 8½ (9½, 9½)“ / 21.5 (24, 24)cm
Finished circumference: 14¼ (16, 17¾)” / 36 (40.5, 45)cm; shown in second size on a head measuring 23½“ / 59cm

This hat is quite stretchy and can be worn with anywhere from 5–8” / 12.5–20.5cm negative ease.
The first size best suits younger children; the second size will best fit most older children and adults with smaller heads; the third size will best fit adults with larger heads.