A friend asked me about a hat that would accommodate her sunglasses or eyeglasses without creating a gap which allows her temples to become cold. I made two hats and wrote out the patterns which I am sharing here with you. This hat has a double-layer cuff, the other hat has eyelet openings.
***Toboggan Hat, Toque, or Beanie with double layer cuff ***
to accommodate sunglasses or eyeglasses
This hat’s layered cuff accommodates eyeglasses or sunglasses.
Description:
This hat features a double layer cuff, with openings between the 2 layers to accommodate wearing eyeglasses or sunglasses. This feature to accommodate glasses may also be adapted into a sewn fabric hat, or a sewn lining for a knit hat.
Knit in the round, this hat may be worked in any stitch combination desired, such as ribbing or cables from your favorite stitch dictionary. The design shown here is a 5 x 5 rib with alternating knit and purl checkerboard squares.
In this hand knitting pattern, the inner cuff layer is knit first, bottom-up, then is set aside while casting on and knitting the hat’s outer cuff. The two cuff layers are knit together leaving openings appropriately spaced to accommodate eyeglasses or sunglasses. The main body of the hat is worked in any stitch combinations desired, and the crown or top of the hat is completed with decreases.
Skill Level:
This hat may be confidently knit by an intermediate knitter. Time estimate: 10 hours.
A highly motivated beginner may also complete this hat successfully, by patiently dedicating more time.
Cast on (Optional - Cast on in pattern: Knit, Purl)
Knitting in the round (Magic Loop method)
Knit stitch
Purl stitch
Increase, yarn over method
Decrease
Bind off
Abbreviations:
CDD – Centered Double Decrease
K - Knit
K2tog – Knit 2 together (right-leaning decrease)
P - Purl
P2tog – Purl 2 together
SSK – Slip, Skip Knit (left-leaning decrease)
What you need:
Yarn: 1 skein of superwash wool sock yarn -or- leftover sock yarn from other projects
This pattern designates COLOR A as the main color and COLOR B as the accent color for the inner cuff.
Needles: US size 4 (3.5 mm) circular needles or size you prefer for your yarn choice,
to obtain gauge of 5 stitches per inch, 6 rows per inch. To create a tighter knit fabric, use smaller needles and consider increasing the number of stitches cast on by 10, or multiples of 10.
Other tools:
Small scissors
Tape measure, gauge measure
Tapestry needle and/or crochet hook to weave in ends
Design decision:
Determine whether you want the inner cuff layer longer than the outer cuff layer (so that the inner layer shows beneath the outer layer) or whether you want the inner layer shorter than the outer cuff layer (so that the inner layer is concealed). Create the cuff layers with a difference of about 4 rows. For example:
• Longer inner layer = 12 rows; paired with shorter outer cuff layer having 8 rows
• Shorter (concealed) inner layer = 8 rows; paired with longer outer cuff layer having 12 rows
Inner cuff layer: COLOR B, accent color
Cast on 80 (90, 100) stitches in 1x1 ribbing.
Join, being careful not to twist work.
Rounds 1-6, or 1-10: Work in pattern of 1x1 ribbing: (K1, P1) to end of round.
Round 7 or 11: Work in pattern of 1x1 ribbing, in COLOR A, main color.
Round 8 or 12: Loosely bind off all stitches of the inner cuff.
Outer cuff layer: COLOR A, main color
Using a separate circular needle, cast on 80 (90, 100) stitches in 1x1 ribbing.
Join, being careful not to twist work.
Rounds 1-8 or 1-12: Work in pattern of 1x1 ribbing. (K1, P1) to end of round.
Attaching the two cuff layers:
Holding the two cuff layers together, with the inner cuff layer behind the outer cuff later, work the round in 1 x 1 ribbing, as described:
- Knit the stitch 1st stitch on the needle (outer cuff layer) together with the 1st bound off stitch of the inner cuff layer.
- To create openings for the earpieces of eyeglasses or sunglasses to pass through, work the outer layer alone in 1x1 ribbing, for 4 stitches.
- Maintaining the alignment of stitches of the inner and outer layers, work every 5th stitch together:
Knit or Purl the stitch on the needle (outer cuff layer) together with the bound off stitch of the inner cuff layer. - Continue working in 1x1 ribbing to the end of the round, as described, attaching the layers every 5th stitch.
5x5 Checkerboard:
Rounds 1-6: (K5, P5) 8 (9, 10) times
Rounds 7-12: (P5, K5) 8 (9, 10) times
For larger sizes, repeat Rounds 1 – 6.
Design decision:
Consider varying the number of Rounds, rather than working 6 Rounds. For example, work 3 or 4 Rounds for a basketweave effect.
Design decision:
Decreases could take place at regular intervals in both the Knit and Purl squares of the checkerboard, or could be made in the Purl squares so that the Knit fields become prominent. Either way, the placement strategy is to begin with less frequent decreases (having one or two rows between decrease rows) and transition to more frequent decreases (every row). The following decreases are provided as an example of decreasing the Purl squares fist so that the Knit fields become prominent:
Purl Decreases:
Round A: (K5, P2tog, P3) 8 (9, 10) times 72 (81, 90) stitches
Round B: (K5, P4) 8 (9,10) times
For larger sizes, Repeat Round B.
Round C: (K5, P2, P2tog) 8 (9, 10) times 64 (72, 80) stitches
Round D: (K5, P3) 8 (9, 10) times
For larger sizes, Repeat Round D.
Round E: (K5, P2tog, P1) 8 (9,10) times 56 (63, 70) stitches
Round F: (K5, P2) 8 (9,10) times
For larger sizes, Repeat Round F.
Round G: (K5, P2tog) 8 (9, 10) times 48 (54, 60) stitches
Round H: (K5, P1) 8 (9,10 times)
For larger sizes, repeat round H.
Knit Decreases:
Round I: (SSK, K3, P1) 8 (9, 10) times 40 (45, 50) stitches
Round J: (K4, P1) 8 (9, 10) times
Round K: (K2, K2tog, P1) 8 (9, 10) times 32 (36, 40) stitches
Round L: (K3, P1) 8 (9, 10) times
Round M: (SSK, K1, P1) 8 (9, 10 times) 24 (27, 30) stitches
For larger sizes, Round N: (K2, P1) 9 (10) times
Round O: CDD 8 (9, 10) times 8 (9, 10) stitches
For larger sizes, Round P: K8 9 (10) times
Try on hat before finishing.
Finishing:
Leaving about 8 inches, cut yarn.
Using a tapestry needle or crochet hook, draw tail of yarn through final 8 (9, 10) stitches.
Using a tapestry needle or crochet hook, weave in ends.
Enjoy!
sunglasses or eyeglasses hat with double layer cuff.pdf (380.2 KB)
