Cherub Hat in Rowan Baby Cashsoft Merino (EN) - RB002-00010-ENP - Downloadable PDF

Cherub Hat in Rowan Baby Cashsoft Merino by Erika Knight – Pattern Summary

The Cherub Hat is a charming knitted baby hat designed by Erika Knight and published by Rowan as part of the Bloom collection. Available as a downloadable PDF (reference RB002-00010-ENP), this pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty and produces an adorable hat featuring shaped bear-style ears — the defining detail that gives the design its cherubic character. It is sized to fit babies from 0–3 months through to 9–12 months, making it a versatile and gift-worthy knit for newborns and young infants.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a snug, close-fitting baby hat with knitted ears. The ears are fully integrated into the construction of the hat rather than sewn on separately, giving the finished piece a neat, professional look. The hat is worked in the round and then transitioned into flat rows to shape each ear individually, resulting in a three-dimensional sculptural finish. The pattern is photographed in two colourways: Pickles 123 and Nutkin 121, both shades of Rowan Baby Cashsoft Merino.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for Rowan Baby Cashsoft Merino, a luxuriously soft 4-ply weight yarn specifically developed for baby knits. Only one 50g ball is required across all four sizes, making this an economical as well as indulgent project. Baby Cashsoft Merino is prized for its gentle blend that combines the softness of cashmere-touch fibres with the warmth and structure of merino wool, making it ideal for items worn close to a baby's delicate skin.

Needles Required

• 3¼mm (US 3) circular needle, no more than 40 cm in length, for working the body of the hat in the round
• A set of four 3¼mm (US 3) double-pointed needles for shaping the crown and ears

Techniques Used

This pattern is classified as intermediate, meaning it is best suited to knitters who are comfortable with basic knitting in the round and are ready to develop their skills further. The Cherub Hat introduces several techniques that go beyond simple beginner projects:

• Knitting in the round on a short circular needle — the hat body is worked as a seamless tube, which eliminates the need for seaming and produces a smooth, comfortable finish against baby's skin
• Transitioning between circular and flat knitting — after the main body of the hat is complete, stitches are divided and worked back and forth in rows to shape each ear separately
• Stitch holders — stitches for the second ear are placed on a holder while the first ear is worked, a common intermediate technique that requires careful stitch management
• Casting off mid-round — stitches are cast off at specific points within a round to separate the ear sections from the rest of the hat, requiring precision and attention to stitch counts
• Crown shaping — decreases are used to shape the top of the hat neatly
• Ear shaping with paired decreases — each ear is shaped using both K2tog and K2tog tbl (and their purl equivalents P2tog and P2tog tbl) to create symmetrical, tapered ear shapes on either side of the stitch panel

Stitches Used

The Cherub Hat uses a focused set of knitting stitches and techniques:

• Knit stitch (K) — the foundation of the hat body, worked in the round to create a smooth stockinette fabric
• Purl stitch (P) — used during the flat row sections when shaping the ears on wrong-side rows
• K2tog (knit two together) — a right-leaning decrease used to shape the ears and crown
• K2tog t