purlJam

# Snowflake & Sheep Beanie
### A colourwork beanie with a flock of sheep around the brim and a snowflake-flower crown

**Difficulty:** Intermediate
**Construction:** Worked seamlessly in the round, brim-up.

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## Materials

- **Yarn:** Worsted weight (Aran/10-ply equivalent), wool or wool-blend recommended for stitch definition.
  - **MC (Main Colour):** approx. 100 g (e.g. soft grey or cream) – background
  - **CC1 (Contrast 1):** approx. 25 g (e.g. white) – sheep bodies / snowflake
  - **CC2 (Contrast 2):** approx. 15 g (e.g. charcoal/black) – sheep faces & legs
- **Needles:**
  - 4.5 mm circular needle (40 cm) and/or DPNs – for brim
  - 5 mm circular needle (40 cm) and DPNs – for body, colourwork and crown
- **Notions:** Stitch marker (1 for round start, plus 12 optional segment markers), tapestry needle.

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## Tension (Gauge)

- **18 sts × 24 rnds = 10 cm** over stocking stitch (st st) on 5 mm needles.
- **20 sts × 22 rnds = 10 cm** over colourwork (stranded) on 5 mm needles.
- Always work a tension swatch in the round. Adjust needle size to match.

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## Finished Measurements

- **Brim circumference (relaxed):** approx. 48–52 cm; stretches comfortably to ~58 cm.
- **Height (brim to crown):** approx. 22 cm.
- Designed with negative ease for a snug fit.

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## Key Numbers (Verified)

- **Cast-on:** 156 sts
- **Segments:** 12 segments × 13 sts = **156 sts** ✓
- **Sheep:** 1 per segment = **12 sheep** ✓
- **Petals (snowflake-flower):** 1 per 2 segments = **6 petals** ✓
- Crown decreases from **156 → 12 → closed**.

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## Abbreviations (UK)

- **k** – knit; **p** – purl
- **k2tog** – knit two together (right-leaning decrease)
- **ssk** – slip, slip, knit (left-leaning decrease)
- **st(s)** – stitch(es)
- **rnd(s)** – round(s)
- **MC/CC1/CC2** – main / contrast colours
- **yo** – yarn over (not used in stranded section but listed for completeness)

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## Pattern Instructions

### 1. Brim (k2p2 Rib)

With **4.5 mm** needles and **MC**, cast on **156 sts**. Place marker (PM) and join to work in the round, taking care not to twist.

- **Rib rnd:** *k2, p2; rep from * to end.

Repeat the rib rnd until brim measures **5 cm**.

> **Check:** 156 ÷ 4 = 39 full k2p2 repeats ✓ (ribbing aligns perfectly with no jog).

Change to **5 mm** needles.

### 2. Set Up Segments

- **Setup rnd:** Knit 1 rnd in MC.
- Optionally place a segment marker every 13 sts (12 markers) to keep colourwork aligned.

> **Check:** 12 × 13 = 156 sts ✓.

### 3. Sheep Colourwork Band

Join CC1 and CC2 as required and work the **Sheep Chart** (see *Attached Stitch Chart* below).

- The sheep motif is **13 sts wide × (chart height) rnds tall** and is repeated **12 times** around (once per segment) = **12 sheep**.
- Work all chart rounds for the sheep band as given on the attached chart panel.
- Keep floats loose (catch any float longer than 4–5 sts on the wrong side).

After completing the sheep band, break CC2 (and CC1 if not needed) and continue in MC.

### 4. Plain Body

With **MC**, knit every round in st st until the work measures approx. **15 cm** from the cast-on edge (or until the piece reaches the top of your ear when tried on). This plain section sits between the sheep band and the snowflake crown.

> Adjust this section's length to control total hat height before beginning crown shaping.

### 5. Snowflake-Flower Crown

The crown combines a **stranded snowflake-flower motif** with **decrease shaping**. There are **6 petals**, one centred over every **2 segments** (2 × 13 = 26 sts per petal repeat).

> **Check:** 6 petals × 26 sts = 156 sts ✓.

**Colourwork:** Work the **Snowflake/Petal Chart** (attached) in CC1 on the MC background. The chart's horizontal repeat is **26 sts** and is repeated **6 times** around.

**Decrease shaping** is integrated with the crown. Work the crown decreases as follows, distributing one decrease per segment so the snowflake points stay aligned:

- **Decrease rnd:** *k11, k2tog; rep from * to end. (12 sts decreased)

Work the chart and plain rounds, applying a Decrease rnd at the rounds indicated on the attached chart (and in the schedule below), so that each segment loses stitches evenly while the snowflake motif resolves toward the centre.

**Crown decrease schedule (verified):**

| Decrease | Decrease instruction | Sts after |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | *k11, k2tog; rep* | 144 |
| 2 | *k10, k2tog; rep* | 132 |
| 3 | *k9, k2tog; rep* | 120 |
| 4 | *k8, k2tog; rep* | 108 |
| 5 | *k7, k2tog; rep* | 96 |
| 6 | *k6, k2tog; rep* | 84 |
| 7 | *k5, k2tog; rep* | 72 |
| 8 | *k4, k2tog; rep* | 60 |
| 9 | *k3, k2tog; rep* | 48 |
| 10 | *k2, k2tog; rep* | 36 |
| 11 | *k1, k2tog; rep* | 24 |
| 12 | *k2tog; rep* | 12 |

Work **1 plain round between each decrease round** (in MC or in chart colours per the attached chart) to give the crown height and let the snowflake motif breathe. Once you have **12 sts** remaining, break yarn leaving a 20 cm tail.

> **Check:** Each decrease removes exactly 12 sts (one per segment), 156 − (12 × 12) = 12 sts remaining ✓.

### 6. Finishing

- Thread the tail through the remaining **12 sts** twice, pull snug to close the crown, and fasten off securely on the wrong side.
- Weave in all ends, securing colour changes neatly.
- Gently steam-block or wet-block to even out the colourwork and open the snowflake motif.
- **Optional pompom:** Make a 7–8 cm pompom in CC1 or MC and attach firmly to the crown centre.

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## Attached Stitch Chart

This pattern uses **two separate attached chart panels** (provided alongside this pattern): the **Sheep Chart** and the **Snowflake-Flower Crown Chart**. Please refer to those attached panels for the full visual grid — they are **not reproduced as a grid here**.

**Where they are placed in the pattern:**
- The **Sheep Chart** is used in **Section 3 (Sheep Colourwork Band)**, immediately after the setup round.
- The **Snowflake-Flower Crown Chart** is used in **Section 5 (Snowflake-Flower Crown)**, replacing/accompanying the plain decrease rounds at the crown.

**How to read the charts (knitting, in the round):**
- Each square = 1 stitch; each row of squares = 1 round.
- Because this is worked **in the round**, read **every row from right to left**, starting at the bottom-right and working upward. There are no wrong-side rows.
- A blank/background square = **MC**; symbol squares indicate **CC1** or **CC2** as shown in the chart's key.
- The **Sheep Chart** is **13 sts wide** = one segment; repeat it **12 times** per round.
- The **Snowflake-Flower Crown Chart** is **26 sts wide** = two segments (one petal); repeat it **6 times** per round.

**Colour & yarn management notes:**
- Work in **stranded colourwork**: carry the unused colour loosely across the wrong side.
- Catch (weave) any float longer than **4–5 stitches** to prevent snags.
- For sheep, CC1 (body) and CC2 (face/legs) may both appear in the same round — manage up to two contrast strands, dropping CC2 once faces/legs are complete.
- Maintain even tension; stranded fabric should not pull in tighter than the MC sections.

**Stitch-count integration math:**
- Sheep band: 13 sts × 12 repeats = **156 sts** per round ✓.
- Crown: 26 sts × 6 repeats = **156 sts** at the start of the crown ✓.
- As crown decreases reduce the stitch count, follow the chart's decrease alignment so each petal/segment loses stitches symmetrically (one decrease per segment per decrease round, as in the schedule above).

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Enjoy your flock-and-snowflake beanie! 🐑❄️