Free Pattern! This Brioche Slouchy Hat is warm, squishy, and airy, knit in 3 colors. This tutorial will teach you to work my Shortcut Brioche stitch in the round. If you can work in the round and work “knit 1, purl 1” ribbing, you can knit this hat! There are no decreases at the crown, or anywhere in the pattern, it’s just ribbing and Shortcut Brioche Stitch. I added a large pom pom at the back.
Table of Contents
Chunky Brioche Slouchy Hat Knitting Pattern
by Yay For Yarn
Scroll to the bottom of this post to see the video tutorial.
Skill level: Advanced Beginner
You will Need:
US size 9 (5.5 mm) circular knitting needle, 16” (40.64 cm) long
US size 10 (6.0 mm) circular knitting needle, 16” (40.64 cm) long
(Or, if you have short interchangeable circular knitting needles, you can just use the size 9 and size 10 interchangeable needle tips with an appropriately sized cable, so that, when the needles are attached, the total length measures about 16” (40.64 cm) long.)
Scissors
Ruler
Yarn Needle or Blunt Tapestry Needle
Stitch Marker
Large Pom Pom Maker (I used one that makes a 3 3/8” (8.45 cm) pom pom.)
Yarn:
About 65 (70, 77) yards of #4 Worsted Weight yarn in Color A
About 45-50 extra yards of #4 Worsted Weight yarn in Color A (for Pom Pom)
About 65 (70, 77) yards of #4 Worsted Weight yarn in Color B
About 65 (70, 77) yards of #4 Worsted Weight yarn in Color C
(I used Hobby Lobby “I Love This Wool” in Cocoa, Umber, and Ivory.)
Gauge:
With size 9 (5.5 mm) needles, working K1, P1 Ribbing, 20 stitches = 4” (10.2 cm) with fabric un-stretched.
With size 10 (6.0 mm) needles, working Shortcut Brioche stitch, 13 stitches = 4” (10.2 cm) with fabric un-stretched.
Finished Sizes:
Size Small (For a Child) – Finished circumference of 17” (43.18 cm) un-stretched, fits head circumference of 18”-19” (45.72 cm – 48.26 cm).
Size Medium (For a Teen or Smaller Adult Head) – Finished circumference of 19” (48.26 cm) un-stretched, fits head circumference of 20”- 21” (50.8 cm – 53.34 cm).
Size Large (For a Larger Adult Head) – Finished circumference of 21” (53.34 cm) un-stretched, fits head circumference of 22” – 23” (55.88 cm – 58.42 cm).
Instructions and yarn requirements for size small are given outside the parentheses, and instructions and yarn requirements for sizes medium and large are given inside the parentheses like this: S(M, L).
Abbreviations:
K: knit
P: purl
CO: cast on
sts: stitches
K1b: knit one below (This is a special stitch. See instructions below to learn how to work this stitch.)
P1b: purl one below (This is a special stitch. See instructions below to learn how to work this stitch.)
K1b (knit one below): Normally, when you work a knit stitch, you insert your right hand needle knitwise into the next stitch on the left hand needle. Instead, insert your right hand needle knitwise into the stitch below the next stitch on the left needle. Knit that stitch, slipping the stitch above off of the left needle at the same time.
P1b (purl one below): Normally, when you work a purl stitch, you insert your right hand needle purlwise into the next stitch on the left hand needle. Instead, insert your right hand needle purlwise into the stitch below the next stitch on the left needle. Purl that stitch, slipping the stitch above off of the left needle at the same time.
Note: You should always have 86 (96, 106) sts at the end of each round.
Chunky Brioche Slouchy Hat Instructions
With Color A, CO 86 (96, 106) sts, slightly loosely. Place the stitch marker on your right needle. Join to work in the round, making sure your sts are not twisted.
Round 1: *K1, P1* around to marker. Slip marker.
Repeat Round 1 until piece measures 2 1/4” (2 1/2”, 2 3/4”) OR 5.72 cm (6.35 cm, 6.99 cm) from cast-on edge.
Round 2: *K1b, P1* around to marker. Slip marker.
Round 3: *K1, P1b* around to marker. Slip marker.
Repeat Rounds 2-3 until piece measures 3 1/2” (3 3/4”, 4”) OR 8.9 cm (9.53 cm, 10.2 cm) long from cast-on edge. Change to Color B.
Repeat Rounds 2-3 until piece measures 7” (7 1/2”, 8”) OR 17.8 cm (19 cm, 20.32 cm) long from cast-on edge. Change to Color C.
Repeat Rounds 2-3 until piece measures 10 1/2” (11 1/4”, 12”) OR 26.67 cm (28.58 cm, 30.48 cm) long from cast-on edge.
Cut yarn, leaving at least a 20” (50.8 cm) tail. Thread tail through your yarn needle. Holding tail yarn and needle to the front of the work, *slip next knit stitch onto yarn needle, slip next purl stitch onto right knitting needle.* Repeat between *and* around until all knit stitches are held on the tail yarn and all purl stitches still remain on the knitting needle. Then, thread yarn needle through all purl stitches on the knitting needle. Bring yarn needle to inside of hat. Pull on the yarn that is going through the knit stitches to cinch the knit stitches closed, leaving a small loop of slack remaining in the tail yarn. Then, pull on the yarn that is going through the purl stitches to use up that slack and cinch purl stitches closed. Pick up a few strands of yarn on inside of cinched part of hat, wrap yarn around yarn needle, and pull through to tie a knot. Work a second knot for extra security (if desired). Poke needle up through the little hole that you just cinched shut to bring the needle to the outside of the hat.
Make Pom Pom from remaining Color A yarn, following instructions for your pom pom maker. Using the remaining yarn tail from the hat, sew pom pom onto cinched part of hat. You will need to stitch through the yarn that runs around the center of the pom pom, and leave your stitches loose until you have made all of your stitches. Then, pull on each stitch from the inside of the hat to tighten it, and pull the yarn tail until no more loose stitches remain. Tie off, Weave in ends.
Pin the image below to save this project for later!

This pattern is intended for your personal use only. You may not share it, copy it, sell it, give it away, or mass-produce the finished product. However, you may sell the finished items on a small scale, as long as you convey in your item description that you used a Yay For Yarn pattern.
Yay For Yarn Copyright© 2018 – Current. All patterns and photos are owned by Yay For Yarn.
Hey thanks for showing pattern. I wanted to start something in broiche but yarn was thicker… needless a few times reducing amount to cast on. Long tail was even a learning experience which you went a bit fast so used another YouTube person to walk me through. I finally got a fit 72 cast on. Lol
Will be checking website for more to learn, maybe two color brioche? Learning double knit as well.