14. The Spiral Twisted Rib Cloche

Introduction

Drawing inspiration from 1920s Art Deco silhouettes, the Spiral Twisted Rib Cloche uses directional decreases to create clean, swirling ridges. The hat wraps smoothly around the head, angling downward slightly at the sides to frame the face.

What This Idea Means

This design uses traveling stitches rather than straight vertical columns. By shifting twisted knit stitches across purl troughs on consecutive rounds, the ribbing sweeps organically around the head in a graceful spiral.

How to Make It

  • Yarn: DK-weight extrafine Merino / Silk blend (approx. 210m / 100g).
  • Needles: US 5 (3.75 mm) circular needles.
  • Gauge: 24 stitches and 32 rounds = 4 inches in Twisted Spiral Rib.
  • Construction:
    1. Cast on 104 stitches using an elastic cable cast-on.
    2. Establish traveling rib: *K2tbl, P2; rep around*.
    3. Every 3rd round, shift the pattern by 1 stitch: Knit the first purl stitch through the back loop, then continue pattern across.
    4. This progressive step creates a continuous 45-degree swirling angle around the circumference.
    5. Work straight until the hat reaches 7.5 inches.
    6. Shape the top using directional decreases (SSK along the lean of the spiral) so the ridges converge smoothly at the center of the crown.

Tips and Variations

  • Need to Make: Always knit the traveling stitches through the back loop (Ktbl) to keep the spiral lines crisp and well-defined.
  • Variation: Add a short, structured asymmetric brim to the front edge to lean into a classic 1920s cloche look.