Knit a His & Hers Couple Cap Set
A matching pair of caps for a couple, knitted on the same stitches: only the length changes between his and hers. Seamless, stretchy and finished with a striped crown.
This couple cap set, in adult size, is knitted on the same number of stitches for both. The only change between the man's and the woman's cap is the length. The hat is seamless: a folded double brim, a soft, stretchy half fisherman rib body, and a striped crown.
What you'll need
- Baby wool in two colours (mine are black and grey). It's quite fine
- Size 10 needles. I used a circular needle, but you can use ordinary needles
- Stitch markers and a sewing needle
Step 1: The ribbed brim
- Cast on
102 stitches. It's a fine wool and this is for an adult man; the woman's cap uses the same count. Mark the first cast-on stitch.
- Join
Split the stitches in half along the circular needle and knit in the round. The first two or three rounds feel awkward, then it moves smoothly.
- Rib
Work 1x1 rib (knit 1, purl 1) in stripes of 4, 2, 3, 2 and 4 rounds, alternating black and grey. Use any rib you like, such as 2x2.
Step 2: The inside of the folded brim
- First round
Knit, decreasing on every 12th stitch (knit 11, then knit 2 together). Stockinette spreads more than rib, and the decreases stop the brim from flaring.
- Then
Knit every round until this part is as deep as the rib. I knitted 14 rounds. On two straight needles, knit one row and purl the next.
Step 3: Fold and join the brim
This row is a little tricky, so go slowly. Instead of sewing the hem later (which makes it tight), we join it now so it stays stretchy.
- Fold the knitting so the cast-on edge sits behind your needle.
- Starting from the marked stitch, pick up a stitch from the first row above the cast on, and knit it together with the next stitch on your needle. Carry on around.
- Because you decreased on every 12th stitch, the cast-on edge now has more stitches than the needle. So after every 11 stitches joined, skip one stitch on the cast-on edge. Then everything lines up with no extra stitches.
- You'll have 96 stitches. Now turn the work inside out so the right side of the brim faces out.
Step 4: The half fisherman rib body
- Round 1:
Knit 1, purl 1, all around.
- Round 2:
Knit 1 into the stitch below (the loop underneath), purl 1, all around.
Repeat these two rounds, and keep a marker at the start of the round. The knit-below round makes the fabric soft, open and very stretchy.
For the woman's cap I knitted less; for the man's I knitted 60 rounds. At that point it measured 9 inches flat (18 inches round, but it stretches a lot), with 5 inches of pattern and 6½ inches in total. It takes the shape of the head when worn.
Step 5: The striped crown
- Set up
Divide the 96 stitches into 6 sections of 16 and mark them.
- Decrease round
*Knit 14, knit 2 together.* Repeat to the end (90 stitches).
- Plain round
Knit all.
- Next decrease round
*Knit 13, knit 2 together.* Then a plain round. Keep going, one fewer knit stitch before each decrease every other round.
- Stripes
Every 4 rounds, change colour for a few rounds (two grey, then black, and so on).
- Final decreases
When you have 18 stitches on each side (36), knit 2 together all the way round (18). Pull these tight so no holes form. Knit one more round.
Step 6: Close the top
Cut the yarn, leaving about a foot. Thread it on a sewing needle and pass it through all 18 stitches, keeping the yarn doubled. Pull it tight, knot it, and pass through the stitches once more to secure it. Weave all the ends in well on the inside so it never opens.
- couple caps
- knitted beanie
- hat knitting pattern
- fisherman rib
- knitting in the round
- matching gifts
- baby wool
- handmade gift
