Purple Hat in Blackberry Stitch, In the Round

  I saw this hat on Pinterest (shown on the right) and decided to try to figure out how to make it without a pattern. I cast on 92 stitches in worsted weight yarn and size 8 needles, knit a 1×1 rib for about six inches, then knit blackberry stitch for about seven inches, then decreased and topped it with a pompom in the same color. It’s super cute, but I did the decrease in stockinette which I don’t love.

Here’s the detail on blackberry (or trinity) stitch and how to knit it in the round. Blackberry stitch is knit in multiples of four stitches over four rows until your desired length is reached. 

• Row 1: Loosely purl all stitches. 
• Row 2: *k3tog, (p1, k1, p1) into the next stitch; rep from * to end.
• Row 3: Loosely purl all stitches.
• Row 4: *(p1, k1, p1) into the next stitch, k3tog; rep from * to end.

While knitting in blackberry and/or trinity stitch, it is helpful to keep the 1st and 3rd rows — the purl rows — much, much looser than you normally knit. Why? Because knitting three stitches together on the front-facing side is tricky enough to give you hand cramps. I repeatedly had to stop and shove my needle through that third loop, and several times I thought I would break the yarn. I didn’t though, and this was a remarkably satisfying knit because the little bobs of yarn – the blackberries – give you so much texture.

My daughter thinks it’s cute and loves the purple. My dog doesn’t love the gentle leader leash, but it’s good for her, and she loves the girl in the hat. Win-win all around. It helps to have adorable models.