Your First Colourwork Hat is Waiting for You

Pattern: Apres-ski

Designer: Tricot Designs MCL

Yarn: Drops Lima

There is something about a handknit hat that no store-bought version can quite replicate. It fits exactly the way you shaped it, in colours you chose.  The Après-Ski hat by Tricot Design MCL is a hat you will reach for over and over again and will be proud to show off your amazing work.

Whether you are heading out to skate, trudging through a snowy parking lot, cheering from the sidelines, or simply keeping your ears warm on the way to get coffee, this hat works hard and looks good doing it.

Pattern at a Glance

Pattern: Après-Ski by Tricot Design MCL
Source: Intemporels / Tricot Design MCL
Craft: Knitting
Category: Beanie / Toque
Sizes: S, M, L (fits head circumferences 51–62 cm)
Needle Size: US 7 / 4.5 mm circular
Gauge: 20 sts x 28 rows = 4 inches in stockinette
Yardage: 230–312 yards total across three colours
Language: English and French

The Yarn Story

DROPS Lima is one of those yarns that earns its place in your stash by being genuinely, practically wonderful.

It is a sport weight yarn spun from 65% wool and 35% superfine alpaca, made in Peru, and what sets it apart is how little has been done to it. The fibres are untreated, meaning they are washed before the dyeing process.  No chemical treatments are used. That choice lets the wool and alpaca behave exactly as they are meant to: the wool provides structure, durability, and that satisfying bounce, while the alpaca brings a softness and subtle sheen that lifts the whole thing into something that feels a little luxurious.

It is a yarn built for the outdoors. Hard wearing, shape-stable, and comfortable against skin. For a colourwork hat destined to see actual winters, it is exactly right.

Why Make This One

If you have been curious about stranded colourwork but not quite ready to commit to a sweater, this hat is your on-ramp.

The pattern uses a simple repeating colourwork motif worked across three colours: one main colour and two contrasting shades. The designer notes it is ideal for beginners wanting to try the technique.  A hat is small enough to finish quickly, forgiving enough to learn on, and useful enough that you will actually wear the result. Three colours sounds like a lot until you realise how little of the contrast colours you need. This is a project designed for the person who has been meaning to try colourwork for a while. It is a gentle, well-structured entry point.

The triple brim is worth mentioning too. It is not decorative; it is genuinely warm. The kind of warm that matters when you are actually outside in a Canadian winter.

Materials List

• DROPS Lima — 1 main colour + 2 contrast colours in DK weight
• US 7 / 4.5 mm circular needles
• Tapestry needle
• Stitch markers
• Après-Ski pattern by Tricot Design MCL (available on Ravelry)

How much Drops Lima for the largest size:

3 balls for the main colour

1 ball each for the two contrast colours

Come Find Your Three Colours

If you have been waiting for a reason to finally try colourwork, this is a pretty good one. Pop over to the Lima collection and see what calls to you. Three colours, one hat, and a technique you will use for the rest of your knitting life.

Shop DROPS Lima at The Wool Pirate