Churchmouse Studio Colorwork Cap Hat Knitting Pattern

Churchmouse Studio Colorwork Cap in Rowan Felted Tweed

What is Being Made

This is a knitted cap featuring stranded colorwork design, finished to approximately 20 inches (51 centimeters) around and 10 inches (25.5 centimeters) tall after blocking. The pattern includes six colored charts plus one plain chart that allows knitters to design their own colorway combinations. The cap is designed as an accessible introduction to stranded colorwork techniques, making it suitable for knitters new to working with multiple colors in a single round.

Techniques Used

The primary technique featured in this pattern is stranded colorwork, a method where two colors are carried across the inside of the fabric as you knit, creating patterns on the right side. The pattern specifically simplifies traditional Fair Isle design by limiting each round to only two colors, making it more manageable for first-time stranded colorwork practitioners. The cap is worked in the round using circular needles and double-point needles, requiring knitters to manage gauge changes between plain stockinette sections and colorwork sections. The pattern also includes ribbing at the cuff, which requires working on smaller needles to create elastic texture.

Stitches Used

The primary stitch throughout the cap is stockinette stitch, worked in the round (knit every round). The ribbing uses alternating knit and purl stitches to create the elastic cuff. Decreases are incorporated in the crown shaping, using standard decrease methods including knit 2 together (K2Tog) and slip, slip, knit (SSK) techniques. The pattern allows for size adjustments by adding or subtracting stitches in multiples of 8 for the decrease rounds, or multiples of 4 for the chart sections.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The pattern calls for Rowan Felted Tweed, a DK-weight yarn. The sample uses four skeins total, with one skein each in four different colors (Colors A, B, C, and D), providing approximately 191 yards (175 meters) per skein. This yardage is sufficient for at least three hats. Alternatively, approximately 110 yards (100 meters) of Color A and 30 yards (27 meters) each of Colors B, C, and D in an equivalent DK-weight yarn is required per individual hat.

Three sizes of circular needles are required:

• US 5 (3.75mm) 16-inch (40-centimeter) circular needle and double-point needles for plain stockinette stitch sections
• US 6 (4mm) 16-inch (40-centimeter) circular needle, one size larger than the stockinette gauge needle, for colorwork sections
• US 3 (3.25mm) 16-inch (40-centimeter) circular needle, two sizes smaller than the stockinette gauge needle, for ribbing

Additional notions include four stitch markers plus one locking marker in a contrasting color to mark the beginning of each round, and a darning needle for finishing.

Gauge and Finishing

The pattern requires a gauge of approximately 24 stitches and 28 rounds over 4 inches (10 centimeters) in both stockinette stitch in the round and colorwork in the round, measured after blocking. Achieving proper gauge is essential for obtaining the finished dimensions and ensuring the colorwork sits correctly on the fabric.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty, reflecting the introduction of stranded colorwork techniques. While designed to be accessible for knitters new to working with multiple colors, it assumes familiarity with basic knitting techniques, working in the round with circular needles, and reading charts.