The Sagittarius Beanie
Work with multiple colors, but just one at a time.
#MyZodiacSweater
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Detailed PDF pattern
♐︎ Step-by-step instructions
♐︎ Video tutorial for the arrows
Difficulty level
♐︎ Intermediate
Size-inclusive
♐︎ Pattern written for 3 sizes to fit most teen and adult heads
♐︎ Fits heads from 18″ to 24″
What you'll need
♐︎ The Frosted Stitch Snowdrift Sport yarn or any sport weight yarn you can meet gauge with, in the amounts shown below.
♐︎ Your 3.0 mm (main gauge) and 3.5 mm (secondary) or size needed to obtain gauge. I like to use my Clover Amours.
♐︎ Tape measure, scissors, darning needle, 2 stitch markers.
Pattern support
♐︎ For pattern related questions, please join my Facebook support group or contact me at thecrochethighway [at] gmail.com.
Join my Facebook support Group
I proud myself with writing ultra-detailed patterns for you, so that your crocheting experience is as smooth and seamless as possible. But whenever you have a pattern related question, my Facebook support group is the place to ask. There you can also share your WIPs and brag about your FOs with the community!
The Zodiac Collection
The Sagittarius Beanie is the sister-pattern to the Sagittarius Sweater, both published in the Zodiac Crochet Collection – a series of crochet garments and accessories that follow a common theme: colorwork made easy. Use hashtag #MyZodiacSweater when posting your makes on social media!
The designs in this collection use multiple colors for a contrasting effect, but the stitch patterns are carefully selected, so that you only have to work with one color at a time. The inspiration behind this collection is my original colorwork design, the Starry Yoke. Check out the other designs in the #MyZodiacSweater collection:
The design
The Sagittarius Beanie is a classic toque written for 3 sizes that will fit most teen and adult heads.
The theme of the #MyZodiacSweater collection is “colorwork made easy”, and the Sagittarius is no exception. So, I’ve come up with a technique which I think you’ll find both fun and intriguing.
The thin and crisp arrow motifs are not applied directly onto the fabric using a technique such as surface crochet, rather they are embedded into the fabric as you go.
Each round is worked normally one after the other. The secret is a combination of front loops, back loops, and chains of various lengths.
You start from the tip of the crown and work your way downwards in a circle mainly in eSC in FLO. Once you reach the full beanie circumference, you stop increasing and start working the arrow motifs.
The beanie rim is finished off with my signature faux-knit detailing.
Like most CrochetHighway patterns, the Sagittarius Beanie comes with step-by-step instructions and a clear and to-the-point video tutorial on how to make the arrow motifs.
The pattern calls for sport weight yarn (category 2) in at least 1 main color (MC), and 1 contrast color (CC). My testers used a variety of yarns and colors to show off this design. Check out the tester photo gallery below to find all the details on yarns and yardages from my testers!
Quick metrics from my testers:
Difficulty rating: 2.1 / 5
Average completion time: 12 hours
Designer sample
My sample uses The Frosted Stitch Snowdrift Sport yarn in Sumac as MC and Garnish as CC.
The WPI of this yarn is 14. Learn how to measure the WPI of your yarn.
This 100% superwash merino is the absolute perfect yarn for the Sagittarius. Keep reading to learn why! The information I provide below is also helpful when substituting yarn.
The Sagittarius Technique
To keep the “colorwork made easy” theme going, I came up with a fun technique to work these colorful arrows in such a way that you’ll only ever use one color at a time, while the arrow shapes provide a clean and crisp contrast against the background color of the sweater.
To achieve this result, I employed a clever combination of chain spaces, and working in the back and front loop only.
The main stitch pattern of the sweater is worked in the front loop only.
The arrow motifs are continuous rounds of chain spaces and slip stitches. The chain spaces are visible from the right side of your work, and they form the legs of the arrows. In between each arrow motif there are slip stitches visible only from the wrong side of the sweater, hidden away behind the main color.
The perfect yarn
In order for the arrows to stand out crisp and beautiful on the right side of the sweater, and the slip stitches to stay hidden on the wrong side, I needed a high-loft yarn base. A high-loft yarn is a yarn with a high air-to-fiber ratio. In simple terms, there is quite a bit of air (or empty space) in between the fibers in the yarn. This means that if you push on it or tug on it, the yarn becomes considerably thinner, and when you let it go, it snaps back to its original thickness.
This property is perfect for the Sagittarius: as you work with it, the yarn compresses under your hook, getting ever so slightly thinner and allowing you to use a small hook size in order to match the small gauge. Once your stitch is complete, the yarn relaxes, snapping back to its squishy and fluffy self – making the stitches plump and full, thus creating the desired contrast between the MC and CC.
The squishy Snowdrift Sport base from The Frosted Stitch is a perfect candidate to achieve this result. On top of that, it’s a worsted spun yarn with amazing stitch definition, and the colors themselves are nothing short of works of art. The 100% SW merino fiber will keep you warm and toasty this fall!
Work by Sarah (SarahE-Crochets on Ravelry)
Using The Frosted Stitch Snowdrift Sport in Nutmeg as MC
Work by Kiki (Ccherbst on Ravelry)
Using The Frosted Stitch Snowdrift Sport in Black Pepper & Pink Salt
Tester highlights
Scroll down for the complete tester lookbook, where you can find photos, yarn & yardage info from all my testers!
Materials and yardage
Hooks: 3.0 mm (main gauge) and 3.5 mm (secondary) or size needed to obtain gauge. I’m a tight crocheter, so you may have to go down in hook sizes. I used my Clover Amour hooks.
Notions: Tape measure, scissors, darning needle, 2 stitch markers.
Yarn: You’ll need at least two colors. A main color (MC), and a contrasting color (CC) of The Frosted Stitch Snowdrift Sport or any sport weight yarn you can meet gauge with. The approximate yardages required for all 3 sizes are:
Main color:
(245, 275, 300) yds / (225, 250, 275) m
Contrast color:
(20, 22, 24) yds / (18, 20, 22) m
These yardages are estimated. See the exact yardages from my testers in the lookbook below.
Sizing
| Head circumference | Beanie circumference | Beanie height (crown to brim) |
Size 1 | 18-20″ | 18″ | 7.5″ |
Size 2 | 20-22″ | 20″ | 7.75″ |
Size 3 | 22-24″ | 22″ | 8″ |
This beanie is designed to be worn with up to 2″ (5 cm) of negative ease around the head. If in between sizes, size down.
Tried & tested substitution yarns
My testers used a variety of yarns for their Sagittarius Beanies and Sweaters, in a truly amazing variety of color combinations. Here’s a list of yarns recommended by them. The list is sorted alphabetically. If you’re looking for inspiration or a quick yarn substitution idea, this is the place to start!
- Alize Diva
- Alize Superwash Artisan
- Bendigo Woollen Mills Tranquility 4 ply
- Cascade Heritage Solids
- Chelsea Yarns 100% SW Merino
- Crocheted by Carisse 12 ply cotton
- De Rerum Natura Candide
- Diya Cotton
- Garnstudio DROPS Baby Merino
- GARNSTUDIO Drops Baby Merino
- Heartbeats Baby Angel
- ICE Yarns Camilla Cotton
- ICE Yarns Camilla Cotton Magic
- Katia Merino Fine
- Knit Picks Upcycle Alpaca Blend Sport
- Millamia Naturally Soft Merino
- Vicky Brown Designs Sock Yarn
- VK Yarns Highlighter Collection
- Walnut Tree Yarn
- We Crochet Brava Sport
- Wool & Co. Juniper Moon Patagonia Organic Merino
- Woolberry Fiber Co. Berry Sport
- Yarnkart Diya Cotton
Tester lookbook
My patterns would not be so smooth without the input of my team of talented testers. Swipe left & right for more photos of your favorite versions!
Want to test my future patterns? Check out how you can become a pattern tester for CrochetHighway!
Jessica (VibrantViola on Ravelry)
Size 3, using 230 yds of Wool & Co. Juniper Moon Patagonia Organic Merino (MC) and 16 yds of De Rerum Natura Candide (CC). Sport weight.
Hook size(s) used: 3 mm;3.5 mm
Mods: None.
Size 1, using 244 yds of Oasis Yarns 100% Wool (MC) and 20 yds of Chelsea Yarns 100% SW Merino (CC). Sport weight.
Hook size(s) used: 3 mm;3.5 mm
Mods: None.
Karen (crochetdahlia on Ravelry)
Size 2, using 250 yds of Silke Witico (MC) and 15 yds of Katia Merino Fine (CC). Sport weight.
Hook size(s) used: 3 mm;3.5 mm
Mods: None.
Size 2, using 244 yds (MC) and 15 yds (CC) of BC Garn Semilla. Sport weight.
Hook size(s) used: 2.5 mm;3 mm
Mods: None.
Alex (Muscrocheteer on Ravelry)
Size 2, using 225 yds (MC) and 8 yds (CC) of GARNSTUDIO Drops Baby Merino. Sport weight.
Hook size(s) used: 2.5 mm;3.5 mm
Mods: None.
Poornima (PoornimaBhat on Ravelry)
Size 2, using 278 yds of ICE Yarns Camilla Cotton Magic (MC) and 13 yds of ICE Yarns Camilla Cotton (CC). Sport weight.
Hook size(s) used: 3 mm
Mods: Added 2 more eSC rounds before the arrow round.
Sarah (SarahE-Crochets on Ravelry)
Size 1, using 213 yds of The Frosted Stitch Snowdrift Sport (MC) and 16 yds of Woolberry Fiber Co. Berry Sport (CC). Sport weight.
Hook size(s) used: 2.75mm (C) and 3.25mm (D)
Mods: None.
Size 2, using 200 yds (MC) and 10 yds (CC) of Alize Diva. Sport weight.
Hook size(s) used: 2 mm;3 mm
Mods: None.
Size 3, using 173 yds (MC) and 16 yds (CC) of The Frosted Stitch Snowdrift Sport. .
Hook size(s) used: 2.5 mm
Mods: None.
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