Stonewall Bonnet

Stonewall Bonnet by Andrea Marquis

What is Being Made

The Stonewall Bonnet is a knitted hat designed by Andrea Marquis that combines textured panels with innovative closure options. This bonnet is intentionally oversized and features a unique cinching system using decorative buttons or ring closures, making it an adjustable and stylish headwear piece suitable for various head sizes.

Construction Method

The bonnet begins as a flat rectangle that is knitted with alternating textured panels arranged in a specific sequence. Once the rectangular piece is completed, it is joined to form a cylinder shape. The crown shaping is created through strategic decreases worked into wedge-shaped textured panels at one end of the cylinder, resulting in a fitted top while the body remains intentionally oversized for the signature silhouette.

Stitches and Techniques Used

• Stockinette Stitch (St st): The primary stitch used throughout multiple panels in varying row counts, creating smooth, classic knit fabric sections
• Broken Rib Panel: A textured stitch pattern that appears multiple times within the pattern sequence, adding visual and tactile interest to the bonnet
• Purl Ridge: Worked between each major panel section to create definition and separate the textured areas
• Decreases: Strategic shaping decreases are incorporated into the wedge-shaped textured panels to form the hat crown
• Cast On: Pattern begins with casting on 25 stitches

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The Stonewall Bonnet requires approximately 200 yards of super chunky weight yarn. The pattern is shown worked in The Alpaca Yarn Company's Snuggle, a luxurious blend of 55% alpaca, 30% acrylic, and 15% wool. This yarn comes in 100-gram skeins with 104 yards per skein, requiring 2 skeins to complete the project. The sample shown is worked in Gray Heather colorway.

Needles and Gauge

This project uses US10 straight needles for the flat rectangular construction phase, and US10 double-pointed or circular needles for joining and working the crown decreases in the round. The working gauge is 12 stitches and 20 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch, which is essential for achieving proper fit and drape with the super chunky yarn weight.

Closure Options

The bonnet features two closure options for cinching the oversized fit. The design can be finished with JUL Leather Pedestal Buttons (available in black Patent Leather, using 2 large, 1 medium, and 1 small) or the JUL Lisbon Ring Closure. These decorative closures allow the wearer to adjust the bonnet to their preferred fit while adding a polished, intentional design detail.

Skill Level

The Stonewall Bonnet is rated as an intermediate knitting project. While it uses fundamental stitches like stockinette and ribbing, the combination of multiple stitch patterns, the transition from flat to in-the-round knitting, and the structured decrease shaping for crown formation require intermediate-level knitting experience and pattern-reading skills.