The Good Apple Hat: Beginner Colorwork Knitting Pattern

This pattern will be free for all in-store shoppers during the 2025 NYC Yarn Crawl from September 26–28!

This hat is knit in the round starting with the inner lining of the brim that is worked in one of two colorwork patterns provided. It designed to have hidden colorwork for three reasons:

1. So the gauge of the inside of the brim is the same as the rest of the hat. Typically colorwork is knit more tightly than non-colorwork, so if the inside of the brim was knit in a single color, it would end up being larger than the outside of the hat and wouldn’t properly fold inside.
2. So that those who are new to colorwork can practice colorwork knitting on a side of the hat that won’t be as visible.
3. Because it’s cute!

After both sides of the brim have been knit, it is folded under and the cast on edge is attached to the last round of the brim. The rest of the hat is worked bottom up like most other hat patterns! 

At some point in the decreasing of the top of the hat, the stitches will not fit around the 16” circular needles, and you will have to switch to double pointed needles, or long circulars to use the magic loop method to finish the top of the hat.

SKILL LEVEL
Almost Advanced. See below for techniques used in this pattern.
(refer to this page for skill level descriptions)

TECHNIQUES USED
casting on, working in the round, knitting, stranded colorwork, following a colorwork chart, knit two together (k2tog), working in the round on small circumferences, weaving in ends.

YARN
220 (235, 280) yards total of light DK or sport weight yarn:

140 (150, 170) yards of main color

55 (60, 70) yards of apple color

25 (30, 40) yards of leaf color

GAUGE
6 stitches & 7.5 rows per inch in stockinette stitch colorwork pattern when working in the round and after blocking

NEEDLES
US 5 / 3.75 mm 16” circulars & either double pointed needles, or long circulars for the magic loop method

NOTIONS
scissors, darning/tapestry needle, 1 stitch marker

MEASUREMENTS
20” (22”, 24”) finished circumference

All three sizes can be made to be either 7” (short hat) or 7.5” (tall hat) from bottom edge of brim to center of crown.

Hat pictured is a tall medium on a 23” head.

SIZES
Small (Medium, Large)