Moroccan Tile Knit Hood Free Pattern

Introduction

This Moroccan Tile Knit Hood is a wonderfully forgiving project for anyone who has mastered knit and purl and wants to try a little lace. It is made from one flat rectangle, so there is no shaping, no working in the round, and no complicated counting to worry about. The alternating burgundy and gold blocks give it a retro 90s feel that teens love, while the eyelet diamonds look like hand-painted Moroccan tiles. The finished hood is soft, close-fitting, and warm, with a face opening that frames the face and a neat seam running down the center back.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Worsted weight acrylic, approximately 220 yards total: 110 yards burgundy (A) and 110 yards gold (B).
• Needles: 5.0 mm (US 8) straight needles.
• Notions: Tapestry needle for seaming and weaving in ends, stitch markers (optional), scissors, tape measure.
• Finished size: One size fits teens, approximately 20 inches wide (circumference) x 16 inches tall from crown to neck edge.

Abbreviations

• CO: cast on
• BO: bind off
• RS: right side (the outside of the fabric)
• WS: wrong side (the inside of the fabric)
• K: knit
• P: purl
• yo: yarn over (wrap the yarn around the needle to make an extra stitch and a small eyelet)
• k2tog: knit two stitches together (a right-leaning decrease)
• ssk: slip one stitch knitwise, slip the next stitch knitwise, then knit both together through the back loops (a left-leaning decrease)
• sl1-k2tog-psso: slip one stitch knitwise, knit the next two stitches together, then pass the slipped stitch over the decrease (a centered double decrease)
• rep: repeat
• sts: stitches

Gauge

16 stitches and 24 rows = 4 inches in the eyelet diamond pattern. Knit a small swatch in pattern, lay it flat without stretching, and count your stitches and rows over 4 inches to check before you begin.

Tips Before You Start

• Each patterned row begins and ends with a single knit stitch (the edge stitch). These keep the sides tidy for seaming, so do not skip them.
• Count your stitches at the end of every right-side row. You should always have 80 stitches, because every yarn over is paired with a decrease.
• Keep your yarn overs loose enough to slide off the needle easily, but not so loose that the eyelets look sloppy.
• Change colors at the beginning of a right-side row and carry the unused color loosely up the side edge to save weaving in ends later.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Rectangle (worked flat)

With A, CO 80 sts.

Row 1 (RS): K (80 sts).

Row 2 (WS): P (80 sts).

Row 3: K1, *k2tog, yo, k6, yo, ssk, k1; rep from * to last st, k1 (80 sts).

Row 4: P (80 sts).

Row 5: K1, *k1, yo, ssk, k4, k2tog, yo, k2; rep from * to last st, k1 (80 sts).

Row 6: P (80 sts).

Row 7: K1, *k2, yo, ssk, k2, k2tog, yo, k3; rep from * to last st, k1 (80 sts).

Row 8: P (80 sts).

Row 9: K1, *k3, yo, ssk, k2tog, yo, k4; rep from * to last st, k1 (80 sts).

Row 10: P (80 sts).

Row 11: K1, *k4, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo, k5; rep from * to last st, k1 (80 sts).

Row 12: P (80 sts).

Row 13: K1, *k3, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k4; rep from * to last st, k1 (80 sts).

Row 14: P (80 sts).

Row 15: K1, *k2, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk, k3; rep from * to last st, k1 (80 sts).

Row 16: P (80 sts).

Row 17: K1, *k1, k2tog, yo, k5, yo, ssk, k2; rep from * to last st, k1 (80 sts).

Row 18: P (80 sts).

Row 19: K1, *k2tog, yo, k7, yo, ssk, k1; rep from * to last st, k1 (80 sts).

Row 20: P (80 sts).

Row 21: K1, *yo, ssk, k9, k2tog, yo; rep from * to last st, k1 (80 sts).

Row 22: P (80 sts).

Row 23: K (80 sts).

Row 24: P (80 sts).

Change to B. Repeat Rows 1-24 once.

Change to A. Repeat Rows 1-24 once.

Change to B. Repeat Rows 1-24 once.

Change to A. Repeat Rows 1-24 once.

BO all sts loosely.

Assembly and Finishing

Fold the rectangle in half with right sides together to form a tube, aligning the cast-on and bound-off edges. Seam one short edge (the back seam) using mattress stitch. Turn the hood right side out. Fold the tube in half so the seam sits at the center back and the cast-on and bound-off edges meet at the front, forming a hood shape. Seam the top edges from the front opening to the back seam, leaving an opening for the face. Weave in all ends. Block lightly to open the eyelets, pinning the hood to the finished measurements and allowing it to dry fully before wearing.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Swap the gold for cream or charcoal to make a more neutral hood that suits any outfit.
• Add a row of single crochet around the face opening with a 5.0 mm hook for a tidy, stretch-resistant edge.
• Work the rectangle in a single color for a subtle allover lace hood, or use leftover yarn to make the color blocks your own.