Introducing Portal, the first Cuboidal Hat!

As we inch closer to September I’ll be introducing each of the 8 patterns in my new collection. I’ve taken a different approach to construction and design with these, and you’ll get a peak by looking at the #CuboidalHats tag on Instagram and via the Cuboidal blog category.

Portal is the first design, and it’s a beanie style!

One thing to keep in mind with each of the Hats is that several of them can be worn in different ways; they push the more traditional woolly Hat style boundaries in more ways than one. And while the humble beanie may be the simplest of the styles in the collection, it too has options.

The collection includes 8 different mitre square options, each of them exploring and combining colours in different ways. Because the squares are combined in a modular fashion the overall effect becomes greater than the sum of it’s parts - and Portal shows that off brilliantly.

What starts as a basic square with a simple stripe pattern becomes an optical illusion when combined in 3D Hat form! The pattern includes notes on making sure the stripe formation is continuous so you can achieve the best results.

The beanie itself verges on a slouch style, and that extra length can be worn as shown, or it can be folded up. Because head sizes vary greatly and there’s no direct relationship between head circumference and head depth, you may find that the extra length really isn’t all that extra on you, or it may be too much. If you find it’s the latter then you can work one round less in the body and deepen the border to your liking - it’s up to you!

What do you think of the first Hat, ‘Portal’?

About the Cuboidal collection…

As with all of the patterns in this collection, the sample is shown in Malabrigo Arroyo. I find it gives me a nice firm squishy fabric on 2.75mm or 3mm needles, at a gauge of 28 sts to 10cm/4in, which is perfect for garter stitch. You don’t want a loose fabric with these Hats as they’ll stretch, and a firmer gauge ensures the Hat lasts longer before stretching out.

The whole collection is pretty much an any yarn, any size collection! I provide tables covering 8 gauges across 12 sizes, but armed with a gauge swatch and a bit of maths, you can achieve beyond the range provide - the construction of the Hat is the same regardless of the size you’re making or the gauge of your yarn. And the eBook will also include a chapter on head measuring and calculating yardage!

And in case anyone asks, this collection won’t be split into individual patterns. I talk about it more in length on this blog post, but in short the patterns are tutorial heavy and splitting them out just doesn’t work.

The collection will be $23/€19/£17 when published - September 2022 - and members of The Woolly Hat Society will get an exclusive new release discount!