“Different colors / We carry each other / We’re just different colors / This is why we’re biting the bullet / We know the kids are right. “

“Different Colors”, Talking is Hard, Walk the Moon

I designed this hat as a gift for one of my closest friends. A couple of years ago, she introduced me to the wonderful band Walk the Moon and, since then, their bright and happy sound always makes me think of her and smile. I was listening to Walk the Moon’s Talking is Hard album and looking at the cheerful colors of yarn in my Knit Picks delivery while mulling over how I wanted this hat to look. The refrain of the first song, “Different Colors”, made me think of my current colorwork method obsession – mosaic knitting. In mosaic knitting, which is deceptively easy colorwork created solely with slip stitches, the different colors really do carry each other up the work through the alternating slip stitches and knit stitches. With that thought, I reached into my yarn box and picked a yarn jam-packed with different colors to showcase on the punchy, graphic hat design forming in my mind.
What colors does your favorite song bring to mind? Knit this hat while listening to music that makes you smile and dance – I find that doing so makes me grin and turn on my music every time I pull out the finished piece.
If you haven’t yet experienced the magic of mosaic knitting, never fear! This is a great pattern to learn how to knit mosaic with - detailed introductions to mosaic knitting and mosaic charts are provided, along with full written-out versions of each chart.

Techniques Used with Tutorials Provided:
Mosaic Knitting

Yarn Used:
Knit Picks Chroma Twist Bulky
(Bulky; 70% Wool, 30% Nylon; 127 yd 116 m per 100 g skein)

Main Color (MC): Pegasus; 1 skein
Contrast Color (CC): Natural; 1 skein

Needles:
US 10 / UK 4 / 6.0 mm 16” (40 cm) circular needle and US 10 / UK 4 / 6.0 mm double-pointed needles (DPNs)
A 32” (80 cm) or longer circular needle can also be used to work the Magic Loop method.

Notions:
Stitch markers, yarn needle

Yardage Estimates from Sample:
Main Color: 65 yd (59 m), 51 g
Contrast Color: 38 yd (35 m), 30g

Final Measurements:
Circumference: 18” (45.8 cm)
Length: 9” (23 cm)

This pattern has been tech edited and test knit.

I would like to extend a very special thank you to my fabulous technical editor, tricotedit, and my wonderful, helpful test knitters, pruemanson, pignkitty, and pnwknitter. Arigatou gozaimasu!