Sandbank + Shore in Mode at Rowan Softest Alpaca - Downloadable PDF

Sandbank + Shore in Mode at Rowan Softest Alpaca – Pattern Summary

This downloadable PDF pattern from Mode at Rowan, designed by Lisa Richardson and Quail Studio, contains two distinct knitted designs: the Sandbank Hat and the Shore piece. Both projects are worked in Mode at Rowan Softest Alpaca, a luxuriously soft chunky-weight yarn available in shades including Linen 015 and Willow 018. The pattern is rated advanced beginner, making it an excellent stepping stone for knitters who have mastered the basics and are ready to explore more textured and structured techniques.

Sandbank Hat

What Is Being Made

The Sandbank Hat is a cosy, textured knitted hat worked in a rich fisherman rib pattern. It is cleverly constructed to be seamless despite beginning as a flat piece, giving it a polished, professional finish without a visible seam. The hat is photographed in Linen 015 and Willow 018, showcasing how beautifully the texture reads in both neutral and earthy tones.

Techniques Used

• Flat knitting transitioning to a seamless finish – the hat is initially worked flat before being folded and joined, creating a double-layered, seamless structure
• Fisherman rib – a deeply textured ribbing technique that creates a squishy, reversible fabric with excellent stretch and warmth
• Folding and joining – the hat is folded in half with wrong sides facing before being worked along the row, uniting the layers into one seamless piece
• Optional working in the round using double-pointed needles for knitters who prefer a fully circular construction

Stitches Used

• K1, P1 rib – the foundation rib pattern worked across all stitches
• K1b (knit into stitch below) – a special stitch that creates the characteristic depth and elasticity of fisherman rib by working into the stitch in the row below rather than the live stitch on the needle
• P1b (purl into stitch below) – the purl equivalent of K1b, used to maintain the fisherman rib pattern on wrong-side rows
• sl 2 knitwise (slip 2 stitches one at a time as if to knit) – used in shaping or crown decreases
• p2sso (pass 2 slipped stitches over) – a double decrease used in conjunction with sl 2 knitwise for neat, structured shaping

Materials

• Yarn: Mode at Rowan Softest Alpaca, a chunky weight yarn in 50g balls, photographed in Linen 015 and Willow 018
• Needles: 5.5mm (US 9) straight needles for the flat version; 5.5mm (US 9) double-pointed needles (dpns) for the version worked in the round
• Tension: 16 stitches and 36 rows/rounds to 10cm measured over fisherman rib pattern using 5.5mm needles

About Fisherman Rib

Fisherman rib is a beloved knitting technique that produces a fabric visually similar to brioche knitting but achieved through a slightly different method. By working into the stitch below the current stitch on the needle, each column of knit stitches appears to be deeply recessed, creating a beautifully plump, two-toned texture. The resulting fabric is exceptionally warm and stretchy, making it ideal for accessories like hats. When worked in a chunky alpaca yarn such as Mode at Rowan Softest Alpaca, the stitch definition is bold and the finished piece grows quickly on the needles.

Shore Design

The Shore design