The Felted Cap was created when my husband asked for a “plain hat. No colour, or pattern, just plain…but can you make it so I can’t feel the wind going through it?”

You bet! Felted wool is super dense, warm and soft. And the classic, simple shape and fit are just what he was looking for. The Felted Cap is knit in the round and then felted in the washing machine. I’ve included detailed felting instructions to help you along.

This cap knits up very quickly, is beginner appropriate and also makes a great gift. Please feel free to sell your handmade caps at craft, guild and handmade sales and in etsy shops. I just ask that you credit me and this pattern.

Skills
Cable cast-on, knit, purl, decreasing, short-rows, working in the round using circular needles and double pointed needles or magic loop.

Materials
Suggested Yarn: 2 (2, 2) 50g/110yd balls Knit Picks Wool of the Andes, Worsted Weight 100% wool. Samples are in Asphalt and Midnight Heather.

I have used Patons Classic Wool, Knitpicks, Gallway, Cascade 220 for this pattern. All work beautifully with subtle differences in finished texture. You can also hold two strands of fingering weight yarn together. Just be sure to use 100% wool; this will NOT work with a super-wash yarn.

Yardage: 117m/128yds (133m/145yds, 161m/176yds) worsted weight yarn.

Suggested Needles: 6mm/US 10, 40cm/16” circular needles AND 6mm/US 10, 80cm/32” circular needles OR 6mm/US 10 double pointed needles for crown decreases.

Notions: Darning needle, stitch markers, washing machine.

Gauge: 16 sts/10cm or 4”, and 22 rounds/10cm or 4” using 6mm/US 10 needles, in stockinette stitch, in the round, BEFORE felting.

Sizes and Measurements
small, medium, large
Circumference at brim after felting: 46cm/18”, 48cm/19”, 51cm/20”
Crown to brim after felting: 20cm/8”, 22cm/8.5”, 22cm/8.5”
Fits head circumference: 48-51cm/19-20”, 51-56cm/20-22”, 58-61cm/23-24”

Notes
Choose a size based on the ‘fits head circumference’ measeurements. This cap is intended to be worn with zero ease, but will be custom fitted to your shape and measurements after felting.
You can easily add/subtract length in the body of the hat by adding more rounds of st st, or working fewer rounds.