My favorite thing to knit (and also design) is hats.
They’re portable, quick to knit, and incredibly useful.
Once you understand their construction, they’re infinitely customizable.
It’s my favorite type of knitted item to gift to friends, and ideal for donating to charity.
And if you can knit a hat, you know 80% of the skills you need to knit almost any other knitting project.
There are many ways to knit hats, but the most classic is the traditional Watch Cap, also known as a beanie or toque.
Today we’re going to look at a few great watch cap projects you can knit in less than a weekend.
A brief history of the Watch Cap
Knitted caps are pretty well documented going back to the 14th century. The most famous of these come from the Welsh town of Monmouth.
This precursor to our modern watch cap hasn’t changed too much. The hat was knit from the brim up with simple shaping near the top. Just before binding off the stitches are gathered together into what’s called a *button* before picking up stitches for a double brim.
The design became popular amongst men working outdoors and soldiers. Wool caps were even used as cushioning under metal helmets.
While it is still highly associated with fishermen working in cold stormy weather, it wasn’t until WW2 that it garnered its modern name.
Navy crew members took turns on “watch” throughout the night for enemy movement. The thick woolen hats they wore were perfect for staving off the ocean chill. And as service men returned home for war, the style caught on, along with the name “Watch Cap.”
Knitted hats have never really gone out of style, especially with men. But in the early 2000s chunky knit hats with big pompoms started catching on with young women. These days you’re just as likely to see a fur pompom on top of a hat, but this trend seems to be dying out a bit.
Regardless, knitted watch caps aren’t going anywhere and remain a staple project for most knitters.
