1146 Warwick - Hat and Booties Knitting Pattern for Babies in Valley Yarns Whately

Pattern Summary: Warwick Hat and Booties Knitting Pattern for Babies (Valley Yarns Whately)

Designed by Julie Turjoman and published by Valley Yarns, the Warwick set (pattern #1146) is a charming baby hat and bootie duo that makes an ideal handmade gift for newborns and toddlers alike. Worked in the soft, lightweight Valley Yarns Whately — a luxurious blend of 60% Superfine Alpaca and 40% Cotton — this set knits up quickly and comfortably, requiring just one or two 50g/164-yard balls depending on the size. The sample shown is knitted in the color Fawn. The pattern is rated Adventurous Beginner (also described as Advanced Beginner), making it an excellent next step for knitters who have mastered the basics and are ready to explore simple shaping, ribbing variations, and construction techniques.

The pattern is available as a downloadable PDF and covers four sizes: 0–6 months, 6–12 months, 12–18 months, and 18–24 months, making it a versatile addition to any knitter's baby gift repertoire.

Materials and Tools

• Yarn: Valley Yarns Whately (60% Superfine Alpaca / 40% Cotton), worsted weight, 50g / 164 yards per ball. Quantity: 1 ball for sizes 0–6 and 6–12 months; 2 balls for sizes 12–18 and 18–24 months.
• Needles for the Hat: US size 8 (5.00 mm) double-pointed needles or a 40-inch circular needle for the Magic Loop method, plus US size 6 (4.00 mm) double-pointed needles.
• Needles for the Booties: US size 6 (4.00 mm) needles.
• Additional Materials: Stitch markers and a tapestry needle for finishing.

The Warwick Baby Hat

Construction and Techniques

The Warwick hat is worked seamlessly in the round from the brim up to the crown — a bottom-up, worked-in-the-round construction. Knitters can use double-pointed needles or a long circular needle with the popular Magic Loop method, which allows a single long circular needle to substitute for a set of double-pointed needles. Stitches are cast on using the Long-Tail Cast-On method, a reliable and stretchy foundation well-suited to ribbed brims.

Stitches and Design Details

The brim of the hat features baby cable ribbing, a decorative variation on traditional ribbing that introduces a simple twisted or crossed stitch to create a delicate rope-like texture. Baby cables are an excellent introduction to cable knitting for adventurous beginners, as they typically require no cable needle and involve only a small number of stitches. Above the ribbed brim, the hat transitions into stockinette stitch for the body of the crown.

A particularly clever design detail is the I-cord drawstring, which is threaded in and out of eyelets positioned just above the ribbing. These eyelets are created using yarn-over increases, a foundational technique in lace and decorative knitting. The I-cord can be tightened or loosened to adjust the fit of the hat around the baby's head — a practical and thoughtful feature for a gift item. The hat is finished with decrease shaping at the crown to close the top neatly.

Gauge

Hat gauge is 22 stitches and 32 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch on US size 8 (5.00 mm) needles, blocked.

Finished Measurements

• 0–6 months: 14½" circumference
• 6–12 months: 16" circumference
• 12–18 months: 17½" circumference
• 18–24 months: 19" circumference