What is a folded brim?

A folded brim is a hat brim that folded over on itself and knit closed along the seam, to create a double-layer extra-cozy brim!

When to use it

Any time you want the brim of your hat to be a little thicker (for warmth, or just aesthetics), you can use a folded brim. Almost any beanie pattern that has a ribbed brim can be modified for a folded brim, so you can add this technique in almost anywhere you like!

Doodle patterns that use this technique

The Base Doodle Beanie 2 uses this technique. But if you like the look and feel of an extra-thick hat brim, you can add this technique to almost any beanie hat pattern!

INSTRUCTIONS

MATERIALS 

Just your knitting and your working needles, no extra materials needed.

SET UP

Cast-on the required number of stitches called for in your pattern, using any cast-on method you prefer.

Note: Before starting the ribbing for a folded brim, I always knit 1 round in stockinette. I find that this makes it much easier to pick-up the stitches to close the folded brim. If you are really struggling with picking up the stitches, you could even use a provisional cast-on to start your hat!

KNIT THE BRIM

Work in twisted ribbing (or preferred ribbing style), until your work is just over twice the height that you would like your brim to be. Make sure you have woven in any ends prior to closing up the folded brim.

ASSEMBLY AND "SEAMING"

Once your ribbing section is long enough, you'll need to fold it so that you can connect the live stitches to the cast-on stitches.

To do this, you'll fold the cast-on edge inwards, so that the right side of your ribbing is facing out, and the wrong sides are hidden inside the folded fabric. You'll end up with the cast-on round sitting inside the needles.

You want to ensure that each time you knit two stitches together, that they are in the same column of stitches. Ribbing makes this a little easier, since you'll have a nice columns of knits and purls that you can follow.

For the first stitch:

Using your left needle, pick up the first stitch from your cast-on edge. Since your first live stitch is a knit, you will be picking up a stitch that is at the top of a knit column on the inside of the brim (inside when worn, still the RS of the work)

Knit the picked-up stitch together with the knit stitch on your needle, as a k2tog.

For the second stitch:

Using your left needle, pick up the next stitch from your cast-on edge. This time, you will be picking up a stitch that is at the top of a purl column.

Knit the picked-up stitch together with the purl stitch on your needle, as a k2tog.

Continue working the rest of the round in this way. For every knit stitch, you'll pick up a stitch at the top of a purl column from your cast-on edge. For every purl stitch, you'll pick up a stitch at the top of a knit column from your cast-on edge.

Once you have finished this round, the cast-on edge will be "seamed" to the last row of ribbing, and you'll have a beautiful folded brim!

You can now start working colorwork, or just keep knitting in stockinette for the rest of your hat!

Bonus Tips:

• I will usually leave a removable stitch marker at the BOR on the cast-on edge, to make it very easy to know where to start picking up stitches.

• If you are having trouble picking up stitches from the cast-on edge, try using a provisional cast-on when you start your project, so that the cast-on edge is live stitches!

• If you are new to this technique, it can be helpful to check every once in a while that you are picking up the correct stitches. Just follow the columns of stitches to ensure that you are picking up evenly, to avoid your brim looking skewed when you are finished!

 

Happy Doodling!

 

Blog co-written by Jamie Lomax and Grey Lundy. Yarn in sample is from Moonglow Yarn Co.