"Samantha Hat" - Hat Knitting Pattern For Women in Willow & Lark Woodland

Samantha Hat – Stranded Colourwork Hat Knitting Pattern from Willow & Lark's Woodland Collection

The Samantha Hat is a beautifully crafted two-colour Fair Isle hat for women, designed by Willow & Lark as part of their Wilderness Collection. This intermediate-level knitting pattern is available as a downloadable PDF and guides knitters through creating a classic stranded colourwork hat sized to fit an average adult head, with a circumference of 56 cm (22 inches). Whether you are an experienced knitter looking to refine your Fair Isle skills or a confident beginner eager to try stranded colourwork for the first time, the Samantha Hat offers an ideal and rewarding project.

Design Overview

The Samantha Hat features a traditional Fair Isle colourwork pattern worked in the round using double-pointed needles. The design uses two contrasting yarn colours to create the characteristic repeating motifs associated with Fair Isle knitting, giving the finished hat a timeless, heritage aesthetic that sits beautifully within the Wilderness Collection's nature-inspired theme. The pattern notes acknowledge that while it is technically worked in the round, knitters who are new to stranded colourwork will find this a perfect introductory project.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern is specifically designed for Willow & Lark Woodland, a DK weight yarn with a luxurious fibre blend of 50% Wool, 25% Alpaca, and 25% Viscose, sold in 50g / 1.7oz balls. The combination of wool, alpaca, and viscose gives the yarn a soft, warm handle with a subtle sheen, making it particularly well-suited to a cosy winter hat. Because the fibre weight, twist, and composition of the yarn directly affect the appearance of the finished item, Willow & Lark Woodland is strongly recommended to achieve results consistent with the pattern photographs.

The pattern offers two suggested colourway combinations:

• Colourway 1: Plover Grey 400 as Colour A (1 ball) and Juniper Berry 419 as Colour B (2 balls)
• Colourway 2: Toffee 404 as Colour A and Army 413 as Colour B

Both colourways reflect the earthy, woodland-inspired palette characteristic of the Wilderness Collection, pairing neutral tones with deeper, richer accent colours for a striking colourwork effect.

Needles and Tools

The Samantha Hat requires three sets of double-pointed needles (DPNs) in the following sizes:

• 3.25mm (UK 10 / US 3) double-pointed needles – used for the ribbed brim section
• 4.00mm (UK 8 / US 6) double-pointed needles – used for the main stocking stitch sections
• 4.50mm (UK 7 / US 7) double-pointed needles – used for the Fair Isle colourwork sections

The use of a larger needle for the Fair Isle sections is a common and important technique in stranded colourwork knitting. When carrying two yarns across the back of the work, the fabric can tighten significantly, so working on a larger needle helps maintain an even, relaxed tension and ensures the finished hat retains its stretch and wearability.

Tension

Achieving the correct tension is essential for this pattern. Two separate tension measurements are given:

• 21 stitches and 28 rows to 10cm / 4 inches over stocking stitch using 4.00mm (US 6) needles
• 27 stitches and 25 rows to 10cm / 4 inches over the Fair Isle pattern using 4.50mm (US 7) needles

Knitters are encouraged to swatch and adjust needle size as needed to match these tension measurements before casting on.

Techniques and Stitches Used

The Samantha Hat brings together