Rowan Bandana Hat Knitting Pattern

Rowan Bandana Hat by Martin Storey

What Is Being Made

The Rowan Bandana Hat is a knitted hat featuring a distinctive textured pattern created through slip stitch colorwork. This intermediate-level design produces a finished hat with an approximate circumference of 50–54cm (19½–21¼ inches) and a depth of 26cm (10¼ inches), available in two sizes: S/M and L/XL. The hat is shaped with a classic crown construction that tapers to a gathered top.

Knitting Techniques Used

This pattern employs several key knitting techniques appropriate for intermediate crafters:

• Slip Stitch Colorwork: The pattern uses slipped stitches in two colors to create visual texture without carrying yarn across the back. Stitches are slipped purlwise with yarn held at the back of work (wyib) on right-side rows and with yarn held in front of work (wyif) on wrong-side rows, creating a neat, controlled appearance.
• Two-Color Stranding: The design alternates between two yarn colors (designated A and B) across multiple rows, building a sophisticated textured fabric.
• Ribbed Cuff: The hat begins with a knit-two, purl-two (K2, P2) ribbed cuff worked over six rows, providing stretch and a finished edge.
• Crown Shaping: Progressive decreases using knit-two-together (K2tog) stitches are worked across multiple rows to shape the crown, reducing from 74 or 82 stitches down to 15 or 16 stitches for gathering.
• Mattress Stitch Seaming: The back seam is joined using mattress stitch, a nearly invisible seaming technique ideal for knitted garments.

Stitches Used

The Rowan Bandana Hat incorporates the following stitches:

• Knit Stitch (K): Forms the primary fabric structure and appears throughout the pattern.
• Purl Stitch (P): Used on wrong-side rows and in the ribbed cuff to create texture and reversibility.
• Knit Two Together (K2tog): A right-leaning decrease used repeatedly in the crown shaping rows to reduce stitch count and form the tapered top.
• Slip Stitch Purlwise with Yarn at Back (Sl1p wyib / Sl2p wyib): Creates the slip stitch colorwork pattern on right-side rows, allowing color changes without bulk.
• Slip Stitch Purlwise with Yarn in Front (Sl1p wyif / Sl2p wyif): Complements the slip stitch pattern on wrong-side rows, maintaining consistent tension and appearance.
• Ribbing (K2, P2): Provides elasticity and a professional finish at the cuff opening.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Rowan Bandana Hat is designed using Rowan Brushed Fleece yarn, a soft and textured fiber. The pattern requires three colors, each supplied in 50-gram balls:

• Color A – Crag 253: 1 × 50g ball
• Color B – Rock 273: 1 × 50g ball
• Color C – Cairn 263: 1 × 50g ball

Two pairs of needles are required to accommodate the gauge change during construction:

• 5mm (US 8) needles: Used for the ribbed cuff, where a tighter gauge is desired for elasticity.
• 6mm (US 10) needles: Used for the main pattern and crown shaping, where the working gauge is 15 stitches and 23 rows over 10cm (4 inches) in pattern stitch.

The pattern also requires a yarn needle for sewing the back seam using mattress stitch and for weaving in ends.

Pattern Structure and Finishing

After the ribbed cuff is complete, the hat transitions to the main slip stitch colorwork pattern worked over 6mm needles. The pattern alternates between solid knit rows in color A and textured slip stitch rows in color B, building a visually