The knitting pattern for Sweetwater Beanie, a worsted weight hat with a simple spiral cable, has a fresh new look!
This is the very first knitting pattern I ever wrote and sold online, so it holds a special place in my knitting memories. It’s been my go-to beanie to grab when I’m headed out the door because of its classic fitted shape and textural interest that gives a little pop to every outfit. So I’ve updated the pattern with a new look, new photos, and a new yarn.
Download Sweetwater Beanie on Ravelry and on Etsy
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Sweetwater Beanie is knit with worsted weight yarn, which makes it super cozy and works up pretty fast. I used Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Worsted yarn in the color Icicle Heather. This was the first time I used this yarn… and I don’t know what took me so long to arrive at the Wool of the Andes party! I’ll say I wasn’t in love with it until I blocked it and let it dry. And my goodness did it bloom and soften like wool should. It’s now so soft and airy, and really lets my head breathe without losing any warmth.
Now if you frequently use 100% wool, you’re probably saying “Yes, that’s what wool is supposed to do.” But most of my wool experience has been with mixed fibers or superwash, and those don’t behave this same way. Sweetwater Beanie also uses a larger needle size than usual for worsted weight yarn, so the yarn has a little more room to bloom. It’s a match made in knitting heaven.
But if you want to try something different, here are some other yarns that would work well.
Sweetwater Beanie Yarn Substitutes:
- Wool-Ease® Yarn by Lion Brand
- Wool of the Andes Superwash by Knit Picks
- Berroco Vintage available through WEBS
- Heartland® Yarn by Lion Brand
- Patons Classic Wool Worsted Yarn available through JOANN (this was the original yarn I used when I designed this beanie, and it’s still a great option!)
This hat is also a great pattern for those wanting to try cable knitting for the first time. There are no charts — it’s all written out — and very repetitive, so you’ll have many, many chances to practice your cable knitting skills.
My favorite part about Sweetwater Beanie is that once you complete a few rounds of the cable section, you don’t need to reference the pattern again until you reach the crown. So if you want a knitting pattern made for binging your favorite TV shows, or one that you can make quickly for gifts or donations, this is it. Give it a try … I promise you’ll enjoy it!
So what’s new in this version of the Sweetwater Beanie pattern?
- Clearer instructions
- Large print
- New beautiful photos from Apis Photography
- New yarn suggestion (see my note above about the alternate yarn suggestions)
The overall hat design is unchanged, but these updates give it new life.
More details about the Sweetwater Beanie, including measurements and needle size, are available on the Sweetwater Beanie Pattern Page.
Download Sweetwater Beanie on Ravelry and on Etsy
If you make this hat, please share on Instagram with the hashtag #SweetwaterBeanie and tag me @KnitJulep. I’ll try to share each of your projects!
Happy knitting!
Kim
knitjulep.com 