Double Seed Stitch Adult Beanie

Magic Loop • Bottom-Up • Flatter Crown

A worsted-weight adult beanie worked in the round from the brim up on magic loop. The fabric is Double Seed Stitch (also called double moss): 2×2 knit/purl blocks that shift every two rounds. Crown shaping uses eight marked sections and type-matched decreases so knit pairs decrease as knits and purl pairs decrease as purls. The last rounds decrease faster so the top sits flatter, not pointed.

Skill level: Beginner (knitting in the round, k2tog, p2tog, ssk, ssp, magic loop)

Size

Adult (one size, relaxed fit)

To customize: this pattern is written for 128 stitches. If your gauge differs, circumference changes; do not change the stitch count or the crown math will not match.

Finished Measurements

• Circumference: 23¼" (59 cm), unstretched
• Height: 8½" (21.5 cm) from cast-on edge to crown, after a light block
• Fit: About 1–2" (2.5–5 cm) of ease on a 22–24" (56–61 cm) head. Double seed has less stretch than ribbing; if you prefer a snug beanie, go down one needle size and keep 128 stitches.

Yarn

Worsted weight (CYC 4), about 180 yd (165 m)

Sample idea: a smooth wool or wool-blend worsted so the 2×2 texture stays crisp. A single 200 yd (183 m) skein is usually enough; add yardage if you want a pompom.

Needles

• US 7 (4.5 mm) circular needle, 32" (80 cm) or 40" (100 cm) cable, for magic loop
• Or size needed to obtain gauge

Optional: a second circular or DPNs for the last crown rounds when the loop feels tight.

Notions

• 8 stitch markers (1 unique for beginning of round)
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors
• Optional: pompom maker

Gauge

22 stitches and 32 rounds = 4" (10 cm) in Double Seed Stitch, worked in the round, after a light block.

Swatch in the round (or a small magic-loop tube) — flat seed-stitch gauge will not match.

Check: 128 sts ÷ 22 sts × 4" = 23.27" ≈ 23¼" circumference ✓

Abbreviations (US)

• BOR — beginning of round
• CO — cast on
• k — knit
• k2tog — knit 2 together (right-leaning knit decrease)
• m — marker
• p — purl
• p2tog — purl 2 together (right-leaning purl decrease)
• rnd(s) — round(s)
• sl m — slip marker
• ssk — slip, slip, knit: slip 1 knitwise, slip 1 knitwise, knit those 2 stitches together through the back loops (left-leaning knit decrease)
• ssp — slip, slip, purl: slip 1 knitwise, slip 1 knitwise, return both stitches to the left needle in their new orientation, purl 2 together through the back loops (left-leaning purl decrease)
• st(s) — stitch(es)
• WS — wrong side

Notes

• Worked in the round, bottom up, on magic loop. Split the stitches evenly: 64 sts on each half of the loop.
• Do not twist when joining. The unique marker is BOR.
• Double Seed is a 4-stitch, 4-round repeat. Rounds 1–2 start k, k, p, p. Rounds 3–4 start p, p, k, k.
• On “even” crown rounds, knit the knits and purl the purls as they sit on the needle.
• Crown setup: 8 markers, 16 sts apart (128 ÷ 8 = 16 ✓). On magic loop that is 4 sections per needle half.
• Decreases always eat a knit pair or a purl pair until the fabric becomes 1×1, so the texture stays in character.
• Flatter top: 16 stitches are removed every other round, then the last 64 stitches are reduced quickly and cinched at 8 stitches. Tack the hole so it does not form a point.
• Beginner ssp: If ssp feels awkward, you may substitute p2tog in Crown Round 7; the top will still lie reasonably flat.

Stitch Pattern — Double Seed Stitch

Worked in the round over a multiple of 4 stitches (128 = 32 repeats ✓).

Round 1: *k2, p2; rep from * to end.
Round 2: *k2, p2; rep from * to end.
Round 3: *p2, k2; rep from * to end.
Round 4: *p2, k2; rep from * to end.

Repeat Rounds 1–4 for the brim and body.

Attached Stitch Chart

Use the separate attached chart panel for the visual grids. There is no ASCII chart, symbol grid, or full stitch map in this written pattern.

Where the charts sit: The attached panel belongs with this pattern beside (or immediately after) the Stitch Pattern and again at the start of Crown Shaping. Chart A is the 4-stitch × 4-round Double Seed repeat. Chart B is one 16-stitch crown section, including markers; it is the stitch-by-stitch view of the 128-stitch crown (8 identical sections).

How to read (knitting in the round):

• Every chart row is a right-side round.
• Read every row from right to left.
• There are no wrong-side rows and no left-to-right rows.
• The rightmost stitch of each row is the first stitch after BOR.
• Markers on Chart B are section breaks; slip them as you come to them.

Yarn / color: One yarn, one color. No color changes, no floats, no stranding.

Stitch-count math around the charts:

• Body (Chart A): 4-st repeat × 32 = 128 sts.
• Crown (Chart B): one section × 8 = whole round. Starting section = 16 sts; 8 × 16 = 128 sts ✓. After each decrease round the section has 14, then 12, then 10, then 8 sts (whole round 112, 96, 80, 64). Later whole-round counts are 32, 16, and 8 as written below.
• Trust the written stitch counts at the end of each round. If a section does not match, stop and check the round you just finished.

Knit from the written crown rounds; use the attached panel only as a visual check.

Pattern

Cast On and Join

With US 7 (4.5 mm) and a long-tail (or other stretchy) cast-on, CO 128 sts.

Divide for magic loop: 64 sts / 64 sts (64 + 64 = 128 ✓). Join in the round, being careful not to twist. Place unique BOR marker.

Brim and Body

Work Double Seed Stitch (Rounds 1–4) until the piece measures 6¾" (17 cm) from the cast-on edge.

End after a Round 4 (p2, k2 around), so the next round is a Round 1 that starts k, k, p, p.

Check: 6¾" body + ~1¾" crown (14 rnds at 32 rnds/4") = 8½" total height ✓

Place the remaining 7 markers now (or as you work the first crown round): m every 16 sts. You now have 8 sections of 16 sts (8 × 16 = 128 ✓). Keep BOR distinct.

Crown Shaping

Each round is written stitch by stitch for one section, then repeated to the end. Slip every marker. Totals are the whole round (all 128 stitches accounted for).

Knit pairs are decreased with k2tog or ssk. Purl pairs are decreased with p2tog or ssp.

Crown Round 1 (decrease; Double Seed Round 1) — 16 sts per section
*k, k, p, p, k, k, p, p, k, k, p, p, k2tog, p2tog, sl m; rep from * 7 more times.
112 sts (128 − 16 = 112 ✓). 14 sts per section (8 × 14 = 112 ✓).

Crown Round 2 (even; work sts as they appear)
*k, k, p, p, k, k, p, p, k, k, p, p, k, p, sl m; rep from * 7 more times.
112 sts.

Crown Round 3 (decrease; Double Seed Round 3) — 14 sts per section
*p, p, k, k, p, p, k, k, p2tog, k2tog, p, k, sl m; rep from * 7 more times.
96 sts (112 − 16 = 96 ✓). 12 sts per section (8 × 12 = 96 ✓).

Crown Round 4 (even)
*p, p, k, k, p, p, k, k, p, k, p, k, sl m; rep from * 7 more times.
96 sts.

Crown Round 5 (decrease; Double Seed Round 1) — 12 sts per section
*ssk, p2tog, k, k, p, p, k, p, k, p, sl m; rep from * 7 more times.
80 sts (96 − 16 = 80 ✓). 10 sts per section (8 × 10 = 80 ✓).

Crown Round 6 (even)
*k, p, k, k, p, p, k, p, k, p, sl m; rep from * 7 more times.
80 sts.

Crown Round 7 (decrease; Double Seed Round 3) — 10 sts per section
*p, k, ssp, k2tog, p, k, p, k, sl m; rep from * 7 more times.
64 sts (80 − 16 = 64 ✓). 8 sts per section (8 × 8 = 64 ✓).

Crown Round 8 (even)
*p, k, p, k, p, k, p, k, sl m; rep from * 7 more times.
64 sts.

Crown Round 9 (even, shifted to 1×1)
*k, p, k, p, k, p, k, p, sl m; rep from * 7 more times.
64 sts.

Crown Round 10 (even; stack the 1×1 for two rounds)
*k, p, k, p, k, p, k, p, sl m; rep from * 7 more times.
64 sts.

The 2×2 blocks have now become 1×1. The next rounds remove stitches faster so the crown does not cone.

Crown Round 11 (decrease)
*k2tog, p2tog, k2tog, p2tog, sl m; rep from * 7 more times.
32 sts (64 − 32 = 32 ✓). 4 sts per section (8 × 4 = 32 ✓).

Magic loop is tight here; pull the cable loops extra long, or switch to a second circular / DPNs.

Crown Round 12 (even)
*k, p, k, p, sl m; rep from * 7 more times.
32 sts.

Crown Round 13 (decrease)
*k2tog, p2tog, sl m; rep from * 7 more times.
16 sts (32 − 16 = 16 ✓). 2 sts per section (8 × 2 = 16 ✓).

Markers may come off now; they are no longer needed.

Crown Round 14 (decrease)
*k2tog; rep from * to end.
8 sts (16 − 8 = 8 ✓).

Close the Crown (flatter finish)

Cut yarn, leaving an 8" (20 cm) tail. Thread the tail on a tapestry needle, draw it through the remaining 8 sts, and pull snug to close the hole.

For a flatter, not pointy top: take 2–3 small stitches across the gathered hole on the WS to tack it flat, then weave the tail in on the WS. Do not leave a long gathered tube before you fasten off.

Finishing

• Weave in the cast-on tail on the WS, following the 2×2 columns so it does not show on the right side.
• Block lightly: mist or steam, shape a short cylinder with a softly rounded — not conical — crown, and dry flat. Do not stretch the circumference; double seed relaxes a little with wear.
• Optional: sew on a pompom. A pompom also hides the crown gather.

Stitch-Count Recap (crown)

128 − 16×4 = 64, then 64 − 32 − 16 − 8 = 8 ✓