Free Pattern: Watchcap Beanie

Watchcap Beanie
This is a great basic hat I designed for my boyfriend. He likes lighter weight hats with a folded brim to keep his ears warm.

Yarn: Light Fingering Weight, the yarn shown here is Lion Brand Sock Ease in the color Rock Candy. Read Heart Heart and Sole and many other sock yarn would also work. I was able to make two hats with one 100g skein of Sock Ease.

Needles: 3.25 mm dpns

Sizes: Medium 18" (will stretch to comfortably fit most women) Large 19" (will comfortably stitch to fit most men)

Cast on: Using the cast on method of your choice, I used the long tail, cast on 120 (128) sts
This hat is worked in the round. At the end of the cast on, join by knitting into the first stitch, being careful not to twist.
 rnd 1: *K2, P2, repeat from * to end of rnd.
Continue working in K2P2 rib for 2 inches.

From here knit every row until the hat measures 8.5 inches total (6.5 inches from the ribbed brim). 

Shape crown
Decrease Rnd: *K6, K2tog, repeat from * to the end of rnd. 105 (112) sts
Knit 1 rnd
Decrease Rnd: *K5, K2tog, repeat from * to the end of rnd. 90 (96) sts
Knit 1 rnd
Decrease Rnd: *K4, K2tog, repeat from * to the end of rnd. 75 (80) sts
Knit 1 rnd
Decrease Rnd: *K3, K2tog, repeat from * to the end of rnd. 60 (64) sts
Knit 1 rnd
Decrease Rnd: *K2, K2tog, repeat from * to the end of rnd. 45 (48) sts
Knit 1 rnd
Decrease Rnd: *K1, K2tog, repeat from * to the end of rnd. 30 (32) sts
Knit 1 rnd
Decrease Rnd: *K2tog, repeat from * to the end of rnd. 15 (16) sts
Decrease Rnd: *K2tog, repeat from * to the end of rnd (for medium size there will be one leftover st, knit last st). 8 (8) sts
Cut yarn, leaving a 4" tail, and thread it through all 8 sts, pull in tight and weave in ends on the wrong side.