When I got my yarn, I looked at the box of pretty colors for a while and daydreamed about what it wanted to become.  There is plenty of yarn in a DIY Gradient Yarn Box to make a hat, pair of mitts, cowl, small shawl, or a toddler sized sweater.

Since I’m hat obsessed, I decided to design a special hat just for the DIY Gradient Yarn Box!

If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen some of the pattern testing as I worked through the logistics.  It was a little tricky to get things just right, but now that I am finished, all of that testing and tweaking was so worth it!

Let’s talk about the yarn before I share the pattern.

Premier DIY Gradient Yarn Box Details

First, you NEED this yarn in your life!  It is silky soft and glides through your fingers as you work with it.  It doesn’t fuzz or pill, and the stitches have nice definition.  While it feels soft, it is also sturdy and has a little bit of give, so it would be a fantastic yarn to use for making amigurumi.

Each DIY Gradient Yarn Box includes five colors of aran weight acrylic yarn – 360 yards total, 72 yards of each color.  The recommended knitting needle sizes are 7-9, and suggested crochet hook sizes are H-J.  The yarn is machine washable and dryable (yay!).  It comes in 8 different gradient variations, all of them gorgeous, saturated colors.

While I was testing my pattern, I had to frog and re-work a few sections.  No splitting or fuzzing!  That’s unusual for most yarns, acrylics especially.  I know this hat is going to look just as awesome at the end of the season as it does right now.

Want to see it?  =)  (PS – there is a coupon code for you after the pattern so you can get your hands on this yummy yarn too!)

Get Twisted Hat Pattern

Have you ever tried making crochet spirals before?  It is much easier than it looks!  You basically start in the center with a star, and then work each color around, one at a time, until you have a spiral.  It’s magical!

This is a quick project that can be completed in a couple of hours, and you’ll make a slightly slouchy, super cool unisex hat!

For this project, you’ll need:

• Premier DIY Gradient Yarn Box
• Size H crochet hook
• 5 stitch markers (4 of one color, and 1 of another color) (I recommend locking stitch markers for this project.)
• Yarn needle for weaving in ends

First thing you’ll need to do is decide which color will be Color A.  If Color A is the lightest color in the box, your gradient will move darkest to lightest from the top down like the hat I made.  If Color A is the darkest color in the box, your gradient will move lightest to darkest from the top down — the opposite of my hat.

Colors B through E are the other gradient colors in your preferred order.

Let’s get hooking!

This hat is worked from the top down to the brim, with optional earflaps.

1. Make a magic ring with Color A.
2. Setup Row:

With Color A, ch 1, SC, 3 dc.  Place your contrasting color stitch marker in the active loop.

With Color B, ch 1, SC, 3 dc.  Place a stitch marker in the active loop.

With Color C, ch 1, SC, 3 dc.  Place a stitch marker in the active loop.

With Color D, ch 1, SC, 3 dc.  Place a stitch marker in the active loop.

With Color E, ch 1, SC, 3 dc.  Place a stitch marker in the active loop.

Pull magic ring closed.  Don’t worry if it doesn’t lay flat, that will sort itself out later.  This is what it will look like after you complete the setup row:

As you work through the pattern, place a stitch marker in the active loop of the color you just worked before moving on to the next color.

Here’s what it will look like as you progress through the rounds:

Setup row completed.

After Row 3

Color A worked in Row 4.

A few rows completed.

3. With Color A [2 dc in next st, dc] twice. Repeat [ ] for Colors B-E.  (6 sts worked in each color)
4. Return to Color A. 6 dc with each color around. (6 sts worked in each color)
5. With Color A [2 dc in next st, dc] 3 times. Repeat [ ] for Colors B-E.  (9 sts worked in each color)
6. Return to Color A. 9 dc with each color around. (9 sts worked in each color)
7. With Color A [2dc in next st, dc 2] 3 times. Repeat [ ] for Colors B-E (12 sts worked in each color)
8. Return to Color A. 12 dc with each color around. (12 sts worked in each color)
9. With Color A [2 dc in next st, dc 11]. Repeat [ ] for Colors B-E (13 sts worked in each color)
10. Return to Color A. 13 dc with each color around (13 sts worked in each color)
11. Repeat Row 10 for 9 rows.
12. Return to Color A. [6 dc, 4 hdc, 3 sc]. Repeat [ ] for Colors B-E.
13. For Colors A-D, break yarn and weave in ends.
14. With Color E, sc evenly around to the beginning of Color E. If you are adding earflaps, do not break yarn.  If you prefer a hat with no earflaps, break yarn, weave in ends, and enjoy your awesome new hat!  =)

Optional Ear Flaps!

Left Ear Flap

1. Beginning right where you are with Color E, hdc 16, ch 1, turn (16)
2. hdc-dec, hdc 12, hdc-dec, ch 1, turn (14)
3. hdc-dec, hdc 10, hdc-dec, ch 1, turn (12)
4. hdc-dec, hdc 8, hdc-dec, ch 1, turn (10)
5. hdc-dec, hdc 6, hdc-dec, ch 1, turn (8)
6. hdc-dec, hdc 4, hdc-dec, ch 1, turn (6)
7. hdc-dec, hdc 2, hdc-dec, ch 1, turn (4)
8. hdc-dec twice, fasten off and weave in end.

Right Ear Flap

1. Sk 11 sts across the back of the hat and attach yarn in the 12^th
2. hdc 16, ch 1, turn (16)
3. hdc-dec, hdc 12, hdc-dec, ch 1, turn (14)
4. hdc-dec, hdc 10, hdc-dec, ch 1, turn (12)
5. hdc-dec, hdc 8, hdc-dec, ch 1, turn (10)
6. hdc-dec, hdc 6, hdc-dec, ch 1, turn (8)
7. hdc-dec, hdc 4, hdc-dec, ch 1, turn (6)
8. hdc-dec, hdc 2, hdc-dec, ch 1, turn (4)
9. hdc-dec twice, do not break yarn

Finishing Touches

Sc evenly around the bottom of the hat and the earflaps.  Break yarn and weave in ends.

Cut two 24” lengths of yarn from each color for each braid.  Use a hook to pull the yarn through the bottom sts of each earflap.  Divide the yarn into 3 roughly equal sections, braid, tie in a knot, and trim ends.

Do you love it?!?!

I had about 45 yards leftover of Colors A-D, and just slightly less for Color E (the one I used for the earflaps).  I have more than enough leftover yarn to make a matching hat for Smalls or a matching pair of fingerless mitts!

Would you like to try a Premier DIY Gradient Yarn Box?

Premier Yarns has kindly offered a coupon for my readers!  With the code ALITTLELOOPY10 you will get 10% off any purchase at Premieryarns.com through December 15, 2016!  Sweet!

If this hat isn’t your jam, there are plenty of other ideas over at the Premier Yarn site – some of which would make really cute, quick holiday gifts for your kiddos’ teachers and bus drivers!  I love the gradient vases and the yarn wrapped sign.  The yarn wrapped lampshade would be a cute way to cozy up a reading corner.

This yarn would be a fantastic gift for your favorite knitter or crocheter!  Pair it with a gift or two from my handmade holiday shopping list and you’re all set!  😉

Let’s Talk About It!

I’m going to be posting this pattern over on Ravelry, and I’d love to see what you create with the Gradient Yarn Box!  Feel free to say hi over there (I’m jensalittleloopy) or tag me on Instagram (@jensalittleloopy).

If you love this pattern, please Pin it and share!