In law, a “straw man” is a name used to hide someone’s real identity.

In this pattern, the hat is worked using knit stitch, hiding the purls inside. At the end, it is turned inside-out to reveal the final straw-look hat.

Working the hat with no purls and at loose gauge makes it a very quick project. The increases can be easily tracked on the knit side while they are worked, but are almost invisible on the final purl side.

The hat uses up one full 1.75 oz/50 g skein of yarn (for a wider brim, you could add a second skein). The lightweight linen-blend yarn resembles straw, but makes for a much more robust (and washable) hat.

SIZE
Child, adult

MATERIALS
Berroco Vernazza 50% viscose, 25% linen, 25% cotton; 101yd/93m per 1.75oz/50g skein; color: child size in Sigri (10630) and Reine (10621), adult size in Ona (10633) and Bermeo (10611); 1 skein

Yarn Characteristics:
The samples use a yarn of dyed viscose around a core of undyed cotton and linen, which gives a straw-like look. Alternatively, a plain linen or cotton yarn could be used

1 US 10/6mm circular needle, 23.5-inch/60-cm

Notions
yarn needle
nylon millinery wire
spray starch

GAUGE
14 sts/24 rounds = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch

PATTERN NOTES

Construction method: The hat is knitted in the round starting at the top. Increases are used to form a circular crown, the sides are knitted without increase, and then increases are used to form the brim. The brim is reinforced with millinery wire and the hat is shaped using starch.