Learn to Knit Colorwork

We teach this lesson plan at our recurring Intermediate & Advanced Knitting Class. Sign up for your first session here to get started on this project!

Ready to conquer colorwork and create something truly stunning? Join us for a colorwork hat workshop! In this three session class, you'll get hands-on guidance to help you master this intricate skill and knit a cozy, eye-catching hat. 

Note: this class has required knitting homework between each session!

In class we'll be using Cleo's own pattern The Good Apple Hat which was designed with beginner colorwork knitters in mind! We'll start on the inside of the brim with a simple pattern, then move on to more complex imagery on the brim, then finally learn to decrease in pattern.

SKILL LEVEL
Advanced Beginner/Intermediate. If you know everything in the required experience section below, you know enough to take this class! You can read about how we determine skill levels here.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE
You must be very comfortable casting on, knitting, working in the round, and making simple decreases (knit two together/k2tog). If you have knitted a one color hat (or something similar) before, you have enough experience to take this class!

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
Choosing the best yarn for colorwork projects, stranded colorwork techniques for Continental and English knitters, reading colorwork charts, catching floats, adjusting tension, about color dominance, knitting together the seam of a folded brim, decreasing for a hat/working on small circumferences.

LESSON PLAN

Session 1: Choosing yarn & colors, casting on, reading charts, colorwork basics, and troubleshooting tension. Homework: finish underside of brim and be ready for starting the outside brim pattern.

Session 2: Colorwork troubleshooting & Q&A, reading charts, catching floats, and colorwork practice. Homework: knit to where decreases start on the hat!

Session 3: Decreasing in colorwork patterns, methods to complete the top of the hat, weaving in ends, blocking overview.

PATTERN
The Good Apple Hat pattern will be provided in the class for free to all students!

REQUIRED YARN - available for purchase at the shop
220–280 yards total of light DK or sport weight yarn (yardage depends on the size you make, see pattern for details): 140–170 yards of main color, 55–70 yards of the apple/fruit color, and 25–40 yards of the leaf color. We used Germantown DK for the purple hat, and Amano Andes for the green one!

REQUIRED TOOLS - available for purchase at the shop
US 5 / 3.75 mm 16” / 40 cm circular needles & either matching double pointed needles, or matching longer circulars for the magic loop method (we love the FlexiFlips best!)