How to Loom Knit the Houndstooth Fair Isle Hat

Inside: Learn how to loom knit the Houndstooth Fair Isle Hat. Includes free hat pattern in 4 sizes from Toddler to Adult Large, stitch pattern chart and tutorial videos.

Classics never go out of style!

That’s why my new Houndstooth Fair Isle Hat is sure to be a favorite. This two color loom knit hat is perfect for fall and winter. The ribbed brim, simple houndstooth design and optional decreased crown allow you to capture that classic look with ease.

loom knit the houndstooth fair isle hats showing Flexee Loom and 2 hats — Love the classics!

See what’s in the picture above? That’s the Flexee Loom Regular! This was the perfect opportunity for me to take this loom for test run. I love using 1/2″ regular gauge looms with worsted weight yarn. They create a fabric with just a bit more drape and softness than small gauge.

And, between us, the Flexee Loom is game changer when making hats. This loom makes decreasing the crown to get a smooth rounded top easier than ever. Since you can remove links as you go there are no pegs that are hard to reach as the top of the hat gets smaller. It is so easy!

I’ve included 4 sizes in this pattern so you can make hats for everyone in the family from toddlers to adults. Again, with a loom that allows you to adjust how many pegs you are using it’s simple to make hats in lots of sizes.

Keep scrolling to see all the pattern details, my tips, the knitting chart, and, of course, the tutorial videos that teach you the skills you need to loom knit the Houndstooth Fair Isle Hat.

Loom Knit Houndstooth Fair Isle Hats

By Kristen Mangus

A downloadable PDF of this pattern is available in my Etsy store and from Ravelry at the links below:

MATERIALS

(Materials list may contain affiliate links to products I used to make this project. Using these links costs you nothing, but helps support GKK.)

Yarn

Medium (#4) weight yarn in 2 colors

Contrast A Caron Simply Soft Tweeds (5 oz/140 g; 250 yds/228 m)
Gray Heather. 1 ball.

Contrast B Caron Simply Soft Tweeds (5 oz/140 g; 250 yds/228 m)
Off White. 1 ball.

Loom

½” regular gauge (RG) loom with at least 56 (64 72, 80) pegs in the round.

KB Looms Flexee Loom Regular used in sample.

Other adjustable looms include: Cindwood Universal X Loom, Kiss Looms Regular Gauge Loom

Notions

Tapestry needle to weave in ends

Crochet hook (for cast on; small enough for between pegs)

Stitch markers

ABBREVIATIONS

Approx = approximately

Beg = Beginning

Cont = Continue
K = Uwrap Knit

P = Purl

Pat = Pattern
Rep = Repeat

Rnd = Round
St(s) = Stitch(es)

For a refresher on loom knitting basics see the blog posts below to get started:
13 Questions for Beginner Loom Knitters
How to Loom Knit Basics
How to Loom Knit Basic Stitch Patterns
How to Loom Knit in the Round

GAUGE

17 sts x 26 rows in 4” (10 cm) in stockinette.

CHECK YOUR GAUGE. Change loom peg count to obtain correct size.

SKILL LEVEL Easy+

SIZES

Toddler (Small, Medium, Large)

MEASUREMENTS

Circumference 14.25” (16.5”, 18.5”, 20.5”) [36 (42, 47, 52) cm] and 6.75” (7”, 8”, 9”) [17 (18, 20.5, 23) cm] in height

NOTES

Chain cast on is listed in pattern instructions, but you may also use the double ewrap or longtail cast on if you prefer.

Hat is worked in the round. For right handed knitters work from right to left (clockwise); left handed knitters should work in the opposite direction (counter clockwise).

Fair Isle knitting uses two or more colors of yarn in the project by knitting one color per stitch and carrying the unused color along the back. The extra strands of yarn on the inside of the project are called floats. In the video I show you how to make the floats shorter to a cleaner look, reducing the possibility of snagging floats when wearing the hat.

For shaping the top of the hat detailed Flexee Loom instructions are listed first, followed by instructions for other adjustable looms. (See my Flexee Loom Decreased Crown and Ultimate Loom Knit Decreased Crown tutorial videos for additional help. NOTE: The stitch counts and where to place your stitch markers will be different than the ones in the ‘Ultimate’ video, but the method is the same.)

All knit stitches are Uwrap knit. Be sure to work loosely to achieve correct gauge. Tight knitters may be able to use the true knit stitch. Ewrap is not recommended for this project.

Chart – This pattern uses a color chart to show the stitch pattern. Each square on the chart is one stitch. All stitches are knit.

FAIR ISLE TECHNIQUE

When knitting Fair Isle one color is carried on the back side of your work while you knit with the other color. It will create a long strand called a float. Long floats (more than 2 stitches wide) can be loose and snag when worn. To prevent this problem use the following technique to trap the float behind the main color.

The following example explains how to work the first 4 sts of Rnd 4 in the Houndstooth pat:

With A, knit Peg 1.
With B, knit Peg 2.
With A, knit Peg 3.
BEFORE working Peg 4 with A, move the color B yarn to the front of your loom between Pegs 3 and 4.
Uwrap Peg 4 with A and move color B back between the same pegs so it is behind your work again.
Knit over Peg 4. The float for color B is now wrapped around the working yarn for color A between the stitches.
Continue working Rnd. 4 using this technique.

NOTE: On Rnds 5-6 use this method to trap the floats from color A behind the stitches you are working in color B.

INSTRUCTIONS

With A cast on 56 (64 72, 80) sts and join in the round. Place marker on Peg 1 to mark beginning of round.

Hat Brim:

Rnd 1: *K2. P2. Rep from * to end of rnd.

Rep Rnd 1 for 1.25 (1.25, 2, 2) inches [3 (3, 4, 4) cm].

Hat Body:

Rnd 2: Knit.

Rnd 3: Knit. Do not break yarn.

Houndstooth Pattern:

Rnd 4: *With A K1. With B K1. With A K2. Rep from * to end of rnd.

Rnd 5: *With A K1. With B K3. Rep from * to end of rnd.**

Rnd 6: *With B K3. *With A K1. Rep from * to end of row.

Rnd 7: *With A K2. With B K1. With A K1. Rep from * to end of rnd.

Rnds 4-7 form Houndstooth Pat.

**TIP: On last st of Rnd 5 knit with A. This prevents a line showing where the round begins. The last houndstooth of the round will be one stitch shorter, but the design remains consistent.

Repeat Houndstooth Pat twice more. Break B.

Rnd 8: With A Knit all sts.

Cont Rnd 8 until work from beg measures approx 4.75 (5.5, 6, 6.5) inches [12 (14, 15.5, 16.5) cm].

SHAPE TOP (Flexee Loom):

(See video tutorial for example.)

DEC = Move Peg 2 to Peg 1 and knit together.

Starting at the beginning of the round place a stitch marker every 7 (8, 9, 10) pegs. As you decrease be sure to move the stitch marker as you shift stitches around your loom.

Rnd 1: *DEC. Knit 5 (6, 7, 8) placing each st on empty peg. DEC and move to empty

peg. Remove empty loom link. Knit 5 (6, 7, 8). Rep from * around. 48 (56, 64, 72) sts.

Rnd 2 and alt rnds: Knit.

Rnd 3: *DEC. Knit 4 (5 (6, 7) placing each st on empty peg. DEC and move to empty peg. Remove empty loom link. Knit 4 (5, 6, 7). Rep from * around. 40 (48, 56, 64) sts.

Rnd 5: *DEC. Knit 3 (4, 5, 6) placing each st on empty peg. DEC and move to empty peg. Remove empty loom link. Knit 3 (4, 5, 6). Rep from * around. 32 (40, 48, 56) sts.

Rnd 7: *DEC. Knit 2 (3, 4, 5) placing each st on empty peg. DEC and move to empty peg. Remove empty loom link. Knit 2 (3, 4, 5). Rep from * around. 24 (32, 40, 48) sts.

Rnd 9: *DEC. Knit 1 (2, 3, 4) placing each st on empty peg. DEC and move to empty peg. Remove empty loom link. Knit 1 (2, 3, 4). Rep from * around. 16 (24, 32, 40) sts.

Rnd 11: *DEC. Knit 0 (1, 2, 3) placing each st on empty peg. DEC and move to empty peg. Remove empty loom link. Knit 0 (1, 2, 3). Rep from * around. 8 (16, 24, 32) sts. [Toddler Size break yarn leaving a long tail and continue with FINISHING below.]

Rnd 13: *DEC. Knit X (0, 1, 2) placing each st on empty peg. DEC and move to empty peg. Remove empty loom link. Knit X (0, 1, 2). Rep from * around. X (8, 16, 24) sts. [Small Size break yarn leaving a long tail and continue with FINISHING below.]

Rnd 15: *DEC. Knit X (X, 0, 1) placing each st on empty peg. DEC and move to empty peg. Remove empty loom link. Knit X (X, 0, 1). Rep from * around. X (X, 8, 16) sts. [Medium Size break yarn leaving a long tail and continue with FINISHING below.]

Rnd 17: *DEC. Knit X (X, X, 0) placing each st on empty peg. DEC and move to empty peg. Remove empty loom link. Knit X (X, X, 0). Rep from * around. X (X, X, 8) sts. [Large Size break yarn leaving a long tail and continue with FINISHING below.]

SHAPE TOP (Adjustable and non-adjustable looms):

Starting at the beginning of the round place a stitch marker every 7 (8, 9, 10) pegs. As you work the decreases be sure to move the stitch marker as you shift stitches around your loom.

Rnd 1: *Knit 5 (6, 7, 8), K2tog. Rep from * around. 48 (56, 64, 72) sts.

Rnd 2 and alt rnds: Knit.

Rnd 3: *Knit 4, (5, 6, 7), K2tog. Rep from * around. 40 (48, 56, 64, 72) sts.
Rnd 5: *Knit 3 (4, 5, 6), K2tog. Rep from * around. 32 (40, 48, 56) sts.

If working on an adjustable loom cont in pat as written.

If your loom is NOT adjustable knit one more round and continue to FINISHING below.

Rnd 7: *Knit 2 (3, 4, 5), K2tog. Rep from * around. 24 (32, 40, 48) sts.

Rnd 9: *Knit 1 (2, 3, 4), K2tog. Rep from * around. 16 (24, 32, 40) sts.

Rnd 11: *Knit 0 (1, 2, 3), K2tog. Rep from * around. 8 (16, 24, 32) sts. [Toddler Size break yarn leaving a long tail and continue with FINISHING below.]

Rnd 13: *Knit X (0, 1, 2), K2tog. Rep from * around. X (8, 16, 24) sts. [Small Size break yarn leaving a long tail and continue with FINISHING below.]

Rnd 15: *Knit X (X, 0, 1), K2tog. Rep from * around. X (X, 8, 16) sts. [Medium Size break yarn leaving a long tail and continue with FINISHING below.]

Rnd 17: *Knit X (X, X, 0), K2tog. Rep from * around. X (X, X, 8) sts. [Large Size break yarn leaving a long tail and continue with FINISHING below.]

FINISHING

Thread end through rem sts and draw up tightly. Fasten securely. Weave in tails.

CHART

This chart shows one full repeat of the houndstooth stitch pattern. Row numbers along the side of the chart do not match up with Rnd numbers in the pattern. Row 1 of the chart coincides with Rnd. 4 of the written pattern.

PIN IT!

loom knit the houndstooth fair isle hat pin image

Loom Knit the Houndstooth Fair Isle Hat TUTORIAL VIDEOS

The following videos show techniques used to make this hat including how to loom knit using Fair Isle, or stranded colorwork, knitting, how to loom knit the houndstooth stitch pattern, making a decreased crown on the Flexee Loom and other looms, and, lastly, how to tighten up your cast on edge.