Knitting Inspiration: The Reef Beanie by Lizzy Knits

November 11 2020 – Sarah Cleeton

Knitting Inspiration: The Reef Beanie by Lizzy Knits - This is Knit
Knitting Inspiration: The Reef Beanie by Lizzy Knits - This is Knit

Who doesn't love instant gratification? Especially when it comes to knitting projects! And when it comes to quick knits, the Reef Beanie might be exactly what you're looking for. This super chunky knitted hat is so fast, you'll want to make one for everyone you know!

I had a beautiful skein of Malabrigo Rasta sitting in my stash that was calling out to me to knit something out of it. I wasn't sure if it should be a hat or a cowl, but after perusing Ravelry one evening I stumbled across a pattern called the Reef Beanie from Lizzy Knits and knew this was the pattern destined for this particular skein of Rasta.

Note: Pattern links in this blog post direct to Ravelry.


 

About Malabrigo Rasta


If you have never felt a skein of Rasta from Malabrigo, you are really missing out. It is so incredibly soft and luxurious to the touch... And the colours! They are truly stunning. The shade I chose is called Soriano and I love the blue toned purples with the golden yellows peeking out in it. I think any shade of Rasta would really shine with this pattern, from the variegated colourways to the solid ones. Archangel is a Malabrigo classic and would look stunning as this knitted hat, but a shade like Fucsia would really pop! 

Rasta is a 100% merino wool super bulky weight yarn that is lightly felted owing to the extreme squish factor, and it is also hand wash only - so be careful not to accidentally throw this in the washing machine! Although I don't think that will happen since you won't want to take this beanie off once you finished it and try it on! 

Shop Malabrigo Rasta


About The Reef Beanie Pattern


The Reef Beanie pattern designed by Lizzy Knits is really very straightforward and simple to read. Best of all, it can very easily be whipped up in one evening! I knit this entire hat and attached a pom pom on a Friday evening while camped out on my couch watching a show on Netflix. Of course, that speed is due in part to not only the yarn gauge, but also the size of the needles used for this pattern - a whopping US 13 and US 15 (9 and 10mm) which you can shop for right over here. If you were very motivated, you could probably knit two of these beanies in just one night. I think Reef Beanie is a perfect gift knit for any friend or family member... or even yourself (I'm keeping mine!). 

If you are new to knitting hats and/or cables, I think this would also be a good potential first project for learning those skills. I find the great advantage of working with chunky or super chunky yarn is that it is easier to see your stitches and where you have made a mistake. Twisted stitches, slipped stitches, and working in the round are also features of this pattern. What do you get when you put all of these things together? An incredibly cozy and cute knitted hat to wear all winter long!

If you are looking for some more knitting project inspiration for super bulky yarn, why not read a recent blog post of ours where we rounded up some patterns that we think you might like? And if you have any suggestions of your own, let us know in the comments!

Read Seven Super Bulky Knit Ideas For This Season