Barleycove Hat & Cowl Knitting Pattern

Barleycove Hat & Cowl in Juniper Moon Farm Neve

Overview

The Barleycove Hat & Cowl set is a coordinating knit accessory collection designed by Tabetha Hedrick. This downloadable PDF pattern provides instructions for creating both a fitted hat and a matching cowl using the same yarn and complementary stitch techniques. Both pieces feature elegant lace detailing and are worked in the round using circular and double-pointed needles.

What Is Being Made

Hat: An adult-sized knit hat available in two circumference options—Small (17¾ inches / 44.5 cm) and Large (20¾ inches / 53 cm)—with a crown length of 9½ inches (24 cm) for the Small size and 10¾ inches (27 cm) for the Large size. The hat features decorative lace panels and a fitted silhouette.

Cowl: A matching knit cowl with a finished circumference of 20 inches (51 cm) and a height of 8½ inches (22 cm). The cowl is designed to coordinate with the hat using the same stitch patterns and yarn.

Techniques Used

• In-the-round knitting: Both the hat and cowl are constructed using circular needles and double-pointed needles to create seamless, tubular garments.
• Lace knitting: The Leaf Panel pattern creates openwork designs through strategic yarn overs and decreases, producing an intricate, decorative texture.
• Ribbed edging: K1P1 ribbing (knit one, purl one) is used to create stretchy, fitted edges that help the hat and cowl maintain their shape.
• Reverse Stockinette stitch: Used as the base fabric, creating a smooth, refined appearance that allows the lace panels to stand out visually.
• Decreases and yarn overs: Central decrease stitches (s2kp, k2tog, ssk) paired with yarn overs (yo) form the foundation of the lace pattern, creating symmetrical leaf-like motifs.

Stitches Used

• Knit (k): The fundamental stitch used throughout both pieces.
• Purl (p): Used in ribbing and reverse stockinette sections to create texture and definition.
• Yarn over (yo): Creates eyelets and increases in the lace pattern, adding openwork detail.
• Slip, slip, knit (ssk): A left-leaning decrease that pairs with yarn overs for balanced lace shaping.
• Knit two together (k2tog): A right-leaning decrease used throughout the Leaf Panel pattern.
• Slip two stitches together, knit three together (s2kp): A centered double decrease that creates the distinctive vertical lines in the lace design.
• Knit one, purl one ribbing (K1P1 Rib): Alternating knit and purl stitches create an elastic edge.

Leaf Panel Pattern

The Leaf Panel is a 20-round repeat pattern worked over a 19-stitch multiple. This intricate lace motif forms the visual centerpiece of both the hat and cowl. The pattern uses a combination of yarn overs, decreases, and purl stitches to create symmetrical leaf shapes that expand and contract across the rounds. The pattern begins and ends with s2kp decreases flanked by yarn overs, creating decorative selvage edges. The middle sections feature alternating increases and decreases that form the characteristic leaf outline, while purl stitches frame the design and provide visual contrast against the knit background.

Materials

Yarn: Juniper Moon Farm Neve, color #24 Brandywine. The pattern requires one 100-gram skein for the hat and one 100-gram skein for the cowl, allowing for a coordinated set in a single colorway.

Needles: Size US 7 (4.5 mm) circular needles measuring 16 inches (40 cm) in length for working the hat and cowl in the round, plus a set of four size US 7 (4.5 mm) double-pointed needles for decreasing stitches at the crown of the hat.

Additional Notions