Free Knitting Pattern: Cloche Hat

Vintage is so popular right now, in knitting, home decor and fashion, and it makes good sense because classic pieces should never really go out of style. So it was with a bulky cloche hat that Peggy Clements bought at a thrift store.

A tag inside indicated the hat was hand-knit, and Peggy decided to make another one based on the original.

The result was her Cloche Hat pattern, which is top-down, super simple and quick knitting hat that I would probably cast on for right now if I wouldn’t feel horrible book guilt doing so.

Once you get past the shaping for the top it’s straight stockinette stitch, so you could probably knit one in a bulky yarn in an afternoon or two. So much fun and a great accessory for fall and winter!

[Photo by Peggy Clements.]

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Sometimes I feel like knitters get intimidated to try new things because they think they need to start with a big project. Your first time working in the round doesn’t need to be a sock, and your first colorwork doesn’t need to be a sweater, for example. You can find little projects that use the skills you want to learn to build your confidence before you move on to something that requires more time commitment.

This adorable knit bunny, for example.

The colorwork bunny from Knit Picks was designed by Amy Munson and is a kind of bowling pin shaped bunny complete with a knit hat, contrasting inner ears and a little stranded colorwork on its body. Note that the ears are attached the the hat not the bunny, but you could stitch them to the bunny if you’d rather.

It’s worked from the bottom up and also has a tiny pompom tail you can’t see in the picture but it’s a really cute touch. There are a variety of little fair isle patterns to choose from to make the best bunny for you.

The bunny comes out about 8 inches tall (or just over 20 cm) and use several colors to complete the colorwork, depending on the design you choose.

You can purchase the pattern by itself from Knit Picks, or make a kit that includes sport weight yarn in all the colors you need for your creation. There are gray and brown options for the main body of the bunny, but of course if you’re using your own yarn you can make it whatever color you like.

Once you’ve tried colorwork (maybe also working in the round and shaping if those are skills you haven’t used before) in a little project like this you’ll be ready to take on something bigger in no time.

Check out the pattern on Knit Picks.

[Photo: Knit Picks]

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