Ranger's Nightcap Hat Pattern

NPS

The iconic flat hat is probably the best-known part of the National Park Service ranger's uniform. From the earliest days of the agency, many rangers have worn some sort of wide, flat-brimmed hat inspired by the Buffalo Soldiers who protected Yosemite Valley when it first became a park.

Over the years there have been dozens of different hats, including ball caps, pillbox hats, cowboy hats, helmets, fur hats, a variety of caps, and a few different iterations of the classic flat hat. Want to know more? (Want to know everything?) Check out chapter 2 of the NPS Uniform History report.

NPS

These days, the NPS beanie is a crowd favorite. When we asked for photos to use on this page, a lot of the pictures we got back were of rangers wearing the beanie!

But what, you might wonder, does a ranger wear when they're off duty? Enter the Ranger's Nightcap.

NPS

The Nightcap is a textured hat with a folded brim, knit in a dk weight yarn. Three sizes are available: adult small (medium, large). To make one, you'll need

• about 100 grams of yarn (between 150-225 yards, depending on what size you make)

• US size 4 and 5 needles (or as needed to get gauge): 16" circular and DPNs, or a longer circular needle if you like to use the magic loop technique

• Five stitch markers: one for beginning of round, plus four locking/hanging stitch markers for decreases

• tapestry needle and blocking materials for finishing

Abbreviations and techniques used in this pattern:

• k = knit

• p = purl

• cdd = center double decrease: slip 2 stitches knitwise, knit the next stitch, pass slipped stitches over the knit stich

Cast on:
With your smaller needle, cast on 104 (112, 120) stitches using a long-tail cast on method. Join to knit in the round, being careful not to twist. Place marker at the beginning of the round.

Brim:
*k1, p1* around. Repeat until you have about 2" of fabric.

Body of hat:
Switch to larger needles and work mistake rib as follows.
Round 1: *k2, p2*
Round 2: *k1, p2, k1*

Repeat these two rounds until the hat measures about 9" from cast on edge.

Crown:
Set up markers: Work 8 (12, 16) sts in mistake rib pattern, then place hanging marker in 9th (13th, 17th) stitch. Then *work 23, (27, 31) sts in mistake rib and place marker in 24th (28th, 32nd) stitch.* Repeat from * twice more - 4 markers placed. Work in pattern to end of round.

Place markers for decreases in stitches as shown. Note the red beginning-of-round marker between the two orange hanging markers.

NPS

Decreases:
Round 1: *Work in mistake rib pattern to 1 stitch before marked stitch, CDD,* work in pattern to end of round
Round 2: Work in mistake rib pattern as established. Remember that the pattern will be disrupted around the decreases!

Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until 16 sts remain. Break yarn, draw through the remaining sts, secure all ends and block to fit.

Did you make a Nightcap and you want to show it off? Send a picture to Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument on Facebook, or by email. This pattern is also indexed on Ravelry.