Tottington + Heydon in Mode at Rowan Softest Alpaca & Alpaca Cotton

Tottington + Heydon Knitting Patterns by Quail Studio

This downloadable PDF contains two seamless knitting designs created by Quail Studio and published by Mode at Rowan: the Tottington Snood and the Heydon Hat. Both projects are suitable for advanced beginners and showcase elegant construction techniques using premium alpaca yarns.

Tottington Snood

What is Being Made: The Tottington Snood is a tubular cowl garment measuring 28 centimeters deep and 120 centimeters in length once the cast-on and cast-off edges are joined. This seamless snood design creates a versatile neckwear piece that can be worn as a single loop or doubled for extra warmth and coverage.

Techniques Used: The snood is constructed using a straightforward flat knitting method on straight needles, then joined into a continuous loop using mattress stitch. This joining technique creates an invisible seam, maintaining the polished appearance of the finished garment. The pattern is worked in rows from cast-on to cast-off before assembly.

Stitches Used: The Tottington Snood features a lace pattern combining knit stitches with yarn forwards (yfwd) and yarn round needle (yrn) increases paired with decreases. The pattern repeats a sequence of knit 2, yarn forward, slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over on the right side, with corresponding purl 2, yarn round needle, purl 2 together repeats on the wrong side. This creates an open, airy texture that is both decorative and functional.

Materials: The Tottington Snood is knitted in Rowan Softest Alpaca, a luxurious yarn requiring 50 grams of fiber. The pattern is worked on 6mm (US 10) needles with a tension of 15 stitches and 20 rows measured over 10 centimeters in pattern. The sample shown is photographed in Cloud 014, a neutral colorway that highlights the lace detail.

Heydon Hat

What is Being Made: The Heydon Hat is a seamless, fitted hat designed to an average adult woman's head circumference of approximately 38 centimeters (15 inches). The pattern offers two construction options: a version worked flat on straight needles with a back seam, or a version worked in the round using double-pointed needles for a truly seamless finish.

Techniques Used: The Heydon Hat demonstrates two alternative knitting methods. The flat version is worked back and forth on straight needles, then joined using mattress stitch or backstitch. The seamless in-the-round version distributes stitches evenly across three double-pointed needles and is worked continuously in circular rows. Both methods employ strategic decreasing to shape the crown and create the fitted silhouette. The hat can be finished with an optional Rowan faux fur pom pom attached to the crown.

Stitches Used: The Heydon Hat features a ribbed pattern combining knit and purl stitches with regular decreases to shape the crown. The pattern sequence includes knit 1, purl 1 ribbing combined with knit 2 together decreases, worked across multiple rows. As the crown shaping progresses, the pattern transitions through knit 1, purl 1, knit 2 together repeats, then knit 1, knit 2 together repeats, and finally knit 2 together repeats worked across all remaining stitches. The final 8 stitches are grafted closed using a yarn needle threaded through the remaining loops.

Materials: The Heydon Hat is knitted in Rowan Alpaca Cotton, a blend yarn requiring 25 grams of fiber. The pattern is worked on 4mm (US 6) needles with a tension of 24 stitches and 27 rows measured over 10 centimeters in rib pattern. The sample shown is photographed in Snowflake 014. Two needle options are provided: one pair of 4mm (US 6) straight needles for the flat version, or one set of 4mm (US 6) double-pointed needles for the seamless in-the-round version. An optional Rowan faux fur pom pom is listed in the extras section for crown embellishment.

Pattern Overview

Both the Tottington and Heydon designs showcase quality construction and accessible advanced-beginner level techniques. The patterns utilize natural fiber content with Rowan's Softest Alpaca and Alpaca Cotton, providing warmth and breathability. These complementary projects can be made as a coordinated set or individually, offering flexibility for knitters seeking elegant, wearable accessories.