Rowan Fur Hat & Collar Accessory Knitting Pattern

Rowan Fur Hat & Collar by Jennie Atkinson

What is Being Made

This downloadable knitting pattern creates a coordinating set of two accessories: a fitted hat designed to suit an average head size, and a decorative collar that measures 51 cm (20 inches) around the neck edge and is 10 cm (4 inches) deep. The pieces feature luxurious beadwork integrated throughout the design, combining elegant knitwear with sparkling embellishment.

Craft and Techniques

This is a knitting pattern that employs several advanced techniques to achieve its decorative effect. The primary method involves working beads directly into the fabric using a specialized loop stitch technique, where beads are threaded onto yarn before knitting begins and then positioned on loops created during the knitting process. The pattern uses yarn doubled for portions of the work, combining a beaded ball of yarn with an unbeaded ball to create varied texture and bead placement. The construction includes strategic increases at the edges to shape the crown of the hat, with shaping occurring at regular intervals (alternate rows, then every third row, then every fourth row) to create the proper fit and silhouette.

Stitches and Stitch Pattern

The design is built on fundamental knitting stitches including knit, purl, and increases. The primary decorative element is the loop stitch (abbreviated as "loop 1"), which is worked by knitting the next stitch while leaving it on the left needle, bringing yarn to the front between the needles, and wrapping yarn around the needle to create a loop. This technique allows beads to be positioned on these loops as the fabric develops. The pattern is worked in rows, with the wrong side rows primarily using purl stitches and the right side rows alternating knit stitches with beaded loops in a structured sequence. The pattern rows are numbered and set a specific position for bead placement on the sides and crown shaping.

Materials

The hat and collar set requires Rowan Kidsilk Haze yarn in a total of 3 balls of 25 grams each (photographed in the colorway Cream 634). Knitting is worked on 4mm (US size 6) needles. The beadwork incorporates Swarovski Classic Crystal Selection faceted crystal beads measuring 4mm, supplied in 7 packs of 100 beads each (art number 9825101-00001). The pattern requires 294 beads for the hat and 372 beads for the collar, totaling 666 beads, which is accommodated within the seven packs provided.

Tension and Finished Dimensions

The pattern is designed to achieve a tension of 16 stitches and 27 rows to 10 centimeters when measured over the stitch pattern using 4mm needles and yarn worked double. This tension is essential for achieving the correct finished dimensions and ensuring the hat fits an average head size appropriately. The completed collar measures 51 cm (20 inches) around the neck edge, excluding ties, and is 10 cm (4 inches) in depth.