WILD HERRING HAT
~ a reversible brioche hat
Deborah Doherty
Tech Editor, Dawn Cantanzaro
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
18” circumference; 9¼” in height
46 cm circumference; 23.5 cm in height
ONE SIZE
Fits sizes 18-21”
YARN
1 skein each of 2 contrasting colors in Woolfolk Får (142 yards /130 meters /50 grams) a worsted weight
fiber
Sample colors in the photograph: 34 and 36. 36 was used as the main color (MC).
NEEDLES AND NOTIONS
Needle A (gauge needle): US 6 (4.00 mm) or size needed to obtain gauge, 16” circular needle and set of
dpns.
Tapestry needle, marker
GAUGE
17 sts and 26 rows for 4”/10 cm in rib brioche stitch pattern, after blocking
NOTES
The hat is made reversible through brioche knitting techniques. I recommend Nancy Marchant’s books
and online videos about brioche knitting.
When working in the round, drop the MC in the back of work and the CC in the front to maintain stitch
integrity between rows.
All stitch counts include the yarn over and its partner stitch as a single stitch.
Deborah Doherty
The Wild Herrings 2022
STITCHES AND TECHNIQUES
RIB PATTERN
*k1, p1; rep from * to the end.
GERMAN TWISTED CAST ON
Step 1: Create a slip knot and hold your yarn in the sling shot position as you would for the long tail cast
on.
Step 2: Bring the needle under both strands of the thumb loop.
Step 3: Insert the needle down into the loop near the thumb and catch the yarn that is away from you
and bring it up towards you. This creates the twist.
Step 4: Catch the yarn around your finger and bring it through the small gap in the twisted loop on your
thumb. Tighten around on the RH needle and adjust the tension so that all the stitches are uniform.
Repeat steps 2 through 4 until you have the desired number of stitches.
Deborah Doherty
The Wild Herrings 2022
DIRECTIONS round. Remove marker, slip the last stitch to the
LH needle, place marker.
BRIM
Round 3, CC: *[sl1yo, brp1] twice, sl1yo, p1,
Using a 16” Needle A and the MC, cast on 80
sl1yo, brp1; repeat from * to last stitch, lock the
stitches using the German Twisted cast on or
MC by twisting once with CC (like an intarsia
other stretchy cast on. Place a marker and join
twist); work the last stitch.
without twisting. Work in the 1x1 Rib Stitch for
1 round.
Round 4, MC: *brk1, sl1yo; repeat from * to the
end of the round.
Note: the CC will be worked on the purl stitches
Round 4, CC: *sl1yo, brp1; repeat from * to the
and the MC will be worked on the knit stitches
end of the round.
from the 1x1 rib pattern.
Repeat Rounds 1 through 4 (both MC and CC) in
CC set up round: *sl1yo, p1; repeat to the end
pattern as established for a total of 6 times.
of the round.
CROWN
Brim Round 1, MC: *brk1, sl1yo; repeat to the
NOTE: Crown decreases are incorporated into
end of the round.
the Herringbone Brioche pattern on the MC
Brim Round 2, CC: *sl1yo, brp1; repeat to the
rounds. Change to dpns when needed.
end of the round.
Crown Round 1, MC: *brRsl dec, s1yo, brk1,
Work Brim Rounds 1 and 2, in pattern as
s1yo, brk1, s1yo; repeat from * to the end of the
established, until the piece measures 3½” from
round. 60 stitches.
the CO edge ending with a CC round.
Crown Round 1, CC: *sl1yo, brp1; repeat from *
to the end of the round.
HERRINGBONE BRIOCHE
Round 1, MC: *brRsl dec, s1yo, brkyobrk, s1yo,
Crown Round 2, MC: *brk1, sl1yo; repeat from *
brk1, s1yo; repeat from * to the end of the
to the end of the round.
round.
Crown Round 2, CC: *sl1yo, brp1; repeat from *
Round 1, CC: *sl1yo, brp1, sl1yo, p1, [sl1yo,
to the last stitch, slip the last stitch wyif.
brp1] twice; repeat from * to the end of the
round.
Crown Round 3, MC: Remove the marker to
include the first slipped stitch in the last brLsl
Round 2, MC: *brk1, sl1yo; repeat from * to the
dec. Slip 1 stitch, pm, * sl1yo, brk1, sl1yo, brLsl
end of the round.
dec; repeat from * to the end of the round.
Round 2, CC: *sl1yo, brp1; repeat from * to the
Replace marker to the right of the new stitch. 40
end of the round, remove the marker, slip the
stitches.
first stitch to the RH needle, place marker.
Crown Round 3, CC: *sl1yo, brp1; repeat from *
to last stitch, lock the MC by twisting once with
Round 3, MC: *sl1yo, brk1, sl1yo, brkyobrk,
CC (like an intarsia twist); work the last stitch.
sl1yo, brLsl dec; repeat from * to the end of the
Deborah Doherty
The Wild Herrings 2022
Crown Round 4, MC: *brk1, sl1yo; repeat from * Crown Round 7, CC: *sl1yo, brp1; repeat from *
to the end of the round. to last stitch, lock the MC by twisting once with
Crown Round 4, CC: *sl1yo, brp1; repeat from * CC (like an intarsia twist); work the last stitch.
to the end of the round.
Break both yarns, leaving a 9” tail for the MC.
Crown Round 5, MC: *brRsl dec, s1yo; repeat With the tapestry needle, thread through the
from * to the end of the round. 20 stitches. remaining live stitches, pulling to close the gap.
Crown Round 5, CC: *sl1yo, brp1; repeat from * Weave through one or more times to secure the
to the end of the round. top.
Crown Round 6, MC: *brk1, sl1yo; repeat from * FINISHING
to the end of the round.
Weave in the ends, taking care to hide the yarn
Crown Round 6, CC: *sl1yo, brp1; repeat from *
so that the hat can be reversible. Block to size.
to the end of the round.
Crown Round 7, MC: Remove the marker to
include the first slipped stitch in the last brLsl
dec. Slip 1 stitch, pm, * sl1yo, brLsl dec; repeat
from * to the end of the round. Replace marker
to the right of the new stitch. 10 stitches.
Deborah Doherty
The Wild Herrings 2022
ABBREVIATIONS
brk brioche knit: knit the stitch that was slipped in the previous round together with its
yarn over
brkyobrk 2-stitch brioche increase: brk1, leaving the stitch on the LH needle, yo, brk1, slipping
all 3 stitches to the RH needle.
brLsl dec 2-stitch left leaning brioche decrease: slip the first stitch knitwise, brk the
following 2 stitches together, pass the slipped stitch over
brp brioche purl: purl the stitch that was slipped in the previous round together with its
yarn over
brRsl dec 2-stitch right leaning brioche decrease: slip the first stitch knitwise, knit the
next stitch, pass the slipped stitch over, place the stitch on the LH needle, pass the
following stitch over. Slip stitch to RH needle.
dpn double pointed needle
k knit
kwise as if to knit
K2tog knit 2 sts together
LH left hand
m marker
MC main color
p purl
pm place marker
pwise as if to purl
RH right hand
RS right side
sl slip
sl1yo slip 1 making a yarn over at the same time
sm slip marker
WS wrong side
wyib with yarn in back
wyif with yarn in front
yo yarn over
Deborah Doherty
The Wild Herrings 2022
