Hawke Hat in Rowan Island Blend Fine - ZB296-00012-DE - Downloadable PDF

Martin Storey Hawke Hat in Rowan Island Blend Fine – Pattern Summary (ZB296-00012-DE)

The Hawke Hat is a beautifully crafted knitted hat designed by Martin Storey for Rowan, worked in the luxurious Rowan Island Blend Fine yarn. This is a downloadable PDF pattern written in German, rated as intermediate in difficulty. The design is knitted entirely in the round using a set of double-pointed needles, making it an excellent project for knitters who are comfortable with circular knitting and basic shaping techniques.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a classic, fitted knitted hat worked from the brim upward to a neatly decreased crown. It is available in two sizes:

• S-M: Lower edge circumference of approximately 53.5 cm
• L-XL: Lower edge circumference of approximately 58 cm

The hat features a textured stitch pattern across the main body and a smooth stockinette section, culminating in a shaped, tapered crown worked through a series of paired decreases.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for Rowan Island Blend Fine, a 4-ply weight yarn, used in three colours. Each colour requires one 50 g ball:

• Colour A – Vellum 101
• Colour B – Tungsten 110
• Colour C – Wedgewood 103

Rowan Island Blend Fine is a fine-weight yarn known for its softness and subtle lustre, making it well suited to accessories such as hats where stitch definition and drape are both desirable qualities.

Needles

The pattern requires:

• A set of four double-pointed needles (DPNs) in 3.25 mm – used throughout for working in the round

Tension / Gauge

Achieving the correct tension is important for ensuring the hat fits as intended. The pattern specifies two tension measurements, both using 3.25 mm needles:

• 28 stitches and 32 rounds = 10 x 10 cm in the main stitch pattern
• 26 stitches and 34 rounds = 10 x 10 cm in stockinette stitch (knit every round)

Techniques and Stitches Used

The Hawke Hat draws on a range of knitting techniques suited to an intermediate-level knitter:

• Knitting in the round on double-pointed needles – the entire hat is worked circularly, eliminating the need for seaming
• Textured stitch pattern – the body of the hat incorporates a decorative main stitch pattern that adds visual interest and structure
• Stockinette stitch (knit every round) – used in sections of the hat to create a smooth, classic fabric
• Crown shaping with paired decreases – the hat is shaped at the top using two types of decrease worked in combination:
  • K2tog (knit two together / 2 M re zusammenstricken) – a right-leaning decrease
  • Ssk / slip-slip-knit (übzAbn) – a left-leaning decrease, creating a mirrored effect
• Six-section crown decrease structure – decreases are worked in six repeated sections per round, reducing the stitch count progressively from 138 (or 150) stitches down to a small number of remaining stitches, which are then drawn together to close the crown

Construction Notes

After the ribbed or patterned brim is established, the hat body is worked straight in the round until a length of 20 cm is reached. The crown shaping then begins, with alternating decrease rounds and plain knit