The Norwegian Selburose Bucket Hat

A cozy, structured bucket hat worked in the round in classic two-color Norwegian stranded knitting. A traditional eight-petal Selburose (rose/star) band circles the crown, framed by a gently flared brim. Worked bottom-up in worsted-weight wool, this is a satisfying intermediate project that introduces balanced increases, stranded colorwork, and crown shaping.

Materials

• Yarn: Worsted weight (Aran/#4), wool or wool blend recommended for stitch definition and structure.
  • Color A (Main / cream): approx. 120 yds (110 m)
  • Color B (Contrast / red or blue): approx. 90 yds (82 m)
• Needles:
  • US 8 / 5 mm 16" (40 cm) circular needle (main body & colorwork)
  • US 8 / 5 mm double-pointed needles (for crown decreases)
  • US 7 / 4.5 mm 16" (40 cm) circular needle (brim edge, for a firmer edge)
• Notions: Stitch marker, tapestry needle, blocking pins.

Gauge

• 18 sts × 24 rnds = 4" (10 cm) in stranded colorwork on US 8 / 5 mm, blocked.
• 16 sts × 22 rnds = 4" (10 cm) in stockinette (single color) on US 8 / 5 mm.

Take gauge seriously — a bucket hat must fit snugly at the head and flare at the brim. Knit a stranded swatch in the round and block before starting.

Sizes

One size: Adult Average, fits head circumference 21–23" (53–58 cm) with slight negative ease.

• Finished body circumference (unstretched): ~21.3" (54 cm)
• Finished brim edge circumference: ~26.7" (68 cm)
• Finished height (brim to crown): ~7.5" (19 cm)

Abbreviations (US)

• k – knit
• p – purl
• st(s) – stitch(es)
• rnd(s) – round(s)
• A – Color A (main)
• B – Color B (contrast)
• M1 – make one (lifted increase, knit through back)
• k2tog – knit two together (right-leaning decrease)
• ssk – slip, slip, knit (left-leaning decrease)
• pm – place marker
• sm – slip marker
• rep – repeat

Pattern Notes

• The hat is worked bottom-up, in the round, from the crown edge of the body down—wait, clarified: worked from the top of the brim upward: brim → body/colorwork band → crown shaping. (Read step order carefully.)
• Actually, construction here begins at the brim outer edge, works upward to the head, then up over the crown. Cast on = brim edge.
• Carry both colors loosely across the back during stranded sections; keep floats relaxed to preserve elasticity.
• Switch to DPNs during crown decreases when stitches no longer fit the circular needle.
• Chart repeats 4 times around the hat.

Instructions

1. Brim (worked from outer edge inward, in Color A)

With US 7 / 4.5 mm needle and Color A, cast on 120 sts using long-tail cast-on. Join in the round, being careful not to twist. pm to mark start of round.

• Rnds 1–3: Knit all sts (120 sts).
• Brim decrease rnd: *k3, k2tog; rep from * to end.
  • Math check: 120 ÷ 5 = 24 decreases → 120 − 24 = 96 sts. ✓
• Rnd: Knit 1 rnd (96 sts).
• Rnds: Knit 4 more rnds (96 sts). Brim complete.

Switch to US 8 / 5 mm 16" circular needle.

2. Body & Colorwork Band

Work the following setup in Color A:

• Rnds 1–3: Knit all sts (96 sts).

Selburose Colorwork Band — the motif repeats 4 times (96 ÷ 24 = 4 ✓).

Work the 24-stitch × 15-round chart below, repeating it 4 times per round for all 15 rounds. Read every row right to left, all knit stitches.

Selburose Chart (24 sts wide × 15 rnds tall) Legend: · = Color A, X = Color B

Rnd 15: · · · · · X · · · · · X · · · · · X · · · · · X
Rnd 14: · · · · X X X · · · X X X · · · X X X · · · X X X
Rnd 13: · · · X · X · X · X · X · X · X · X · X · X · X ·
Rnd 12: · · X · · · X · X · · · X · X · · · X · X · · · 
Rnd 11: · X X X · · · X · · · X X X · · · X · · · X X X
Rnd 10: X · · · X · · · X · · · · · X · · · X · · · · ·
Rnd 09: · X · X · X · X · X · X · X · X · X · X · X · X
Rnd 08: X X X · X X X · X X X · X X X · X X X · X X X ·
Rnd 07: · X · X · X · X · X · X · X · X · X · X · X · X
Rnd 06: X · · · X · · · X · · · X · · · X · · · X · · ·
Rnd 05: · X X X · · · X X X · · · X X X · · · X X X · ·
Rnd 04: · · X · · X · X · · X · · X · X · · X · · X · X
Rnd 03: · · · X · X · X · · · X · X · X · · · X · X · X
Rnd 02: · · · · X X X · · · · X X X · · · · X X X · · X
Rnd 01: · · · · · X · · · · · X · · · · · X · · · · · X

Tip: The chart is a stylized eight-petal Selburose repeated across the band. If you prefer, you may substitute any 24-st-wide (or 12-st-wide, worked 8×; or 8-st-wide worked 12×) traditional Norwegian motif — any divisor of 96 works. Stitch count remains 96 sts throughout the band (colorwork does not change stitch count).

After completing all 15 chart rounds, cut Color B.

• Rnds 1–4 (Color A): Knit all sts (96 sts).

Measure from brim edge — piece should be approximately 5.5" (14 cm) tall. Continue to crown.

3. Crown Shaping (Color A)

Set up decrease sections. 96 ÷ 8 = 12 sts per wedge.

• Rnd 1: *k10, k2tog; rep from * to end. → 8 decreases → 88 sts ✓
• Rnd 2 and all even rnds: Knit.
• Rnd 3: *k9, k2tog; rep from *. → 80 sts ✓
• Rnd 5: *k8, k2tog; rep from *. → 72 sts ✓
• Rnd 7: *k7, k2tog; rep from *. → 64 sts ✓
• Rnd 9: *k6, k2tog; rep from *. → 56 sts ✓
• Rnd 11: *k5, k2tog; rep from *. → 48 sts ✓
• Rnd 13: *k4, k2tog; rep from *. → 40 sts ✓
• Rnd 15: *k3, k2tog; rep from *. → 32 sts ✓
• Rnd 17: *k2, k2tog; rep from *. → 24 sts ✓
• Rnd 19: *k1, k2tog; rep from *. → 16 sts ✓
• Rnd 21: *k2tog; rep from *. → 8 sts ✓

Switch to DPNs when the stitches become too tight for the circular needle (around Rnd 9–11).

Do not knit an even round after Rnd 21.

Finishing

1. Close the crown: Cut Color A leaving an 8" (20 cm) tail. Thread onto a tapestry needle, run through the remaining 8 sts, pull tight to cinch closed. Pass the needle to the inside and secure with a couple of small stitches.
2. Weave in ends: On the wrong side, weave in all tails. In colorwork sections, weave ends along matching-color floats so they don't show on the front.
3. Block: Soak the hat in cool water with a little wool wash for 15 minutes. Gently squeeze out water (do not wring). To keep the bucket shape, place over a balloon inflated to roughly 22" (56 cm) or a bowl/head form of similar size, easing the brim outward so it flares. Let dry completely. Blocking evens out the stranded stitches and sets the crisp bucket silhouette.

Finished Measurements Recap

Enjoy your Norwegian Selburose bucket hat — god fornøyelse!