Stocking Hat with Alpaca Puff and Watchman’s Cap in Plymouth Yarn Colca Canyon

Stocking Hat with Alpaca Puff and Watchman's Cap in Plymouth Yarn Colca Canyon

What is Being Made

This downloadable knitting pattern from Plymouth Yarn includes two coordinating hat designs: a Stocking Hat with Alpaca Puff and a Watchman's Cap. Both hats are worked from the same base pattern with modifications to create different silhouettes. The Stocking Hat features a decorative alpaca puff accent and finished dimensions of 27" x 18" with negative ease for a fitted wear. The Watchman's Cap measures 9" x 18" with negative ease and offers a more compact alternative using the same yarn and needles.

Techniques Used

Both hats are constructed using circular knitting in the round, which creates seamless, tubular fabric ideal for hat construction. The pattern employs strategic decreasing to shape the crown and create the fitted silhouette. Knitters transition from circular needles to double-pointed needles (dpn's) when the stitch count becomes too small to accommodate the circular needle. The pattern includes an I-cord finish on the Stocking Hat, which is a narrow tubular cord created by knitting remaining stitches in the round and worked for 3 inches or to desired length. The Watchman's Cap omits the I-cord for a more traditional crown closure. Both designs finish with weaving in ends to the wrong side for a polished appearance.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette Stitch in the Round (st st) – The primary stitch throughout both hats, created by knitting every round to produce smooth, flat fabric
• Knit Stitch (K) – The foundational stitch used for all rounds in stockinette
• Knit Two Together (k2tog) – A right-leaning decrease used in six progressive decrease rounds to shape the crown and reduce stitches from 40 to 10
• I-Cord (Stocking Hat only) – Created by knitting remaining stitches in the round to form a decorative cord at the crown

Materials and Yarn

The pattern is designed for Plymouth Yarn Colca Canyon, a yarn that provides excellent stitch definition for stockinette work. The Stocking Hat requires 2 balls of Colca Canyon in brown (#1857), plus 1 Alpaca Puff in brown or matching color for the decorative accent. The Watchman's Cap uses 1 ball of Colca Canyon in purple (#1649). The pattern specifies US size 17 circular needles (16" length) and US size 17 double-pointed needles for working in the round. Additional notions include 1 stitch marker and 1 tapestry needle for finishing. The gauge is 9 stitches over 4 inches when worked in stockinette stitch on US size 17 needles, which is essential for achieving the correct finished dimensions.

Pattern Specifications

The pattern begins with a loose cast-on of 40 stitches joined in the round without twisting. Both hats work even in stockinette stitch until the piece measures 5.5 inches, at which point crown shaping begins. The Stocking Hat incorporates six decrease rounds spaced 6 rounds apart, progressively reducing from 40 stitches to 10 stitches, followed by a final decrease round and 3 inches of I-cord. The Watchman's Cap uses the same decrease sequence but spaces decreases only 1 round apart for faster shaping, and omits the I-cord entirely, instead binding off after the final decrease round. Both hats feature negative ease for a snug, fitted fit.