Hawke Hat Knitting Pattern

Hawke Hat in Rowan Island Blend Fine

What is Being Made

The Hawke Hat is a knitted beanie-style hat designed by Martin Storey for Rowan. This intermediate-level project creates a fitted hat with a structured crown, available in two sizes: S-M (53.5 cm / 21 inches around the head) and L-XL (58 cm / 22¾ inches around the head). The hat features a decorative patterned section at the lower edge followed by a smooth stockinette stitch body, finishing with a tapered crown that creates a classic, refined silhouette.

Techniques Used

This knitting project employs several key techniques appropriate for intermediate knitters:

• In-the-round knitting: The hat is constructed using circular needles worked in continuous rounds, eliminating the need for seaming
• Stranded colorwork: The pattern incorporates multiple yarn colors worked simultaneously, with unused colors stranded across the wrong side of the work for a neat finish
• Decreasing for shaping: The crown is shaped using paired decreases (slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over; and knit 2 together) worked in regular intervals to create a smooth, tapered top
• Color changes: Yarns are joined and broken off as required throughout the patterned section, with careful attention to maintaining even tension
• Marker placement: A stitch marker denotes the beginning and end of rounds to maintain pattern alignment

Stitches Used

The Hawke Hat employs a limited but essential stitch vocabulary:

• Knit stitch (K): The primary stitch used throughout most of the hat
• Purl stitch (P): Used in the two-color rib at the lower edge to create textural contrast
• Stockinette stitch (st st): Smooth knit rounds form the main body of the hat above the patterned section
• Slip, knit, pass slipped stitch over (sl 1, K1, psso): A left-leaning decrease used for crown shaping
• Knit 2 together (K2tog): A right-leaning decrease used for crown shaping
• Slip, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over (sl 1, K2tog, psso): A double decrease used in the final rounds of crown closure

Materials

The Hawke Hat is worked in Rowan Island Blend Fine, a fine-weight yarn requiring 3¼mm (US 3) double-pointed needles. Three colors from the Island Blend Fine range are used:

• Yarn A: Vellum 101 – 1 x 50g ball
• Yarn B: Tungsten 110 – 1 x 50g ball
• Yarn C: Wedgewood 103 – 1 x 50g ball

The pattern requires a set of 4 double-pointed needles in 3¼mm (US 3) size. The recommended tension is 28 stitches and 32 rounds to 10 centimeters measured over pattern, and 26 stitches and 34 rounds to 10 centimeters measured over stockinette stitch, both using 3¼mm (US 3) needles. Achieving proper tension is essential for obtaining the correct finished hat size.

Pattern Overview

The construction begins with casting on 150 or 162 stitches (depending on size) and distributing them evenly across three double-pointed needles. The hat starts with a two-color rib created by alternating knit and purl stitches in contrasting colors. An 18-round chart pattern follows, worked twice with color changes, creating the decorative lower section. After breaking off contrast colors, the knitter continues in stockinette stitch using a single yarn color until the hat measures 20 or 21 centimeters. The crown is then shaped through a series of strategic decreases worked at regular intervals across six sections, gradually reducing from 138 stitches down to 18 stitches. The final stitches are closed using a double decrease, completing the hat with a neat, finished top.