Daystar Hat in Rowan Alpaca Soft DK (Fr) - Downloadable PDF

Daystar Hat by Martin Storey – Rowan Alpaca Soft DK Pattern Summary

About This Design

The Daystar Hat is a sophisticated knitted hat designed by Martin Storey for Rowan, published in 2020. This pattern is rated advanced in difficulty and is presented as a downloadable PDF written in French. It showcases a striking two-colour stranded colourwork design worked in the round, combining a textured ribbed brim with an intricate Fair Isle-style chart motif across the body of the hat. The result is a beautifully structured, warm, and visually detailed accessory suited to experienced knitters looking to expand their colourwork skills.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a single fitted knitted hat worked entirely in the round from the brim upward, culminating in a shaped crown. The hat features a two-colour ribbed band at the lower edge, a charted jacquard (stranded colourwork) section forming the main body, and a carefully decreased crown to create a neat, rounded finish. The finished hat measures approximately 21 cm in total height, making it a generously sized, cosy accessory.

Yarns and Materials

The pattern calls for Rowan Alpaca Soft DK, a luxuriously soft double knitting weight yarn with an alpaca content that gives the finished hat exceptional warmth and a beautiful halo. Two colours are used:

• Colour A – Rainy Day (shade 210): 1 x 50g ball
• Colour B – Classic Brown (shade 204): 1 x 50g ball

The use of alpaca-blend DK yarn is particularly well suited to stranded colourwork, as the slight halo of the fibre helps to blend colour transitions smoothly and adds a softness to the finished fabric that is both lightweight and insulating.

Needles Required

Two sets of needles are required to complete this pattern:

• 3.25 mm double-pointed needles (or a 3.25 mm circular needle no longer than 40 cm) – used for the two-colour ribbed brim section
• 4 mm double-pointed needles – used for the main body and crown shaping

The use of double-pointed needles or a short circular needle is essential for knitting this hat seamlessly in the round, which is the standard construction method for fitted hats and ensures no seaming is required at the finish.

Tension and Gauge

Achieving the correct tension is particularly important for this advanced pattern, as the colourwork chart is sized precisely to fit the stitch count. The stated tension is:

• 28 stitches and 25 rows to 10 cm over two-colour rib on 3.25 mm needles
• 25 stitches to 10 cm over the stranded jacquard pattern on 4 mm needles

Knitters are strongly advised to work a tension swatch before beginning, as stranded colourwork can significantly affect individual gauge, particularly for those who tend to knit colourwork more tightly than single-colour fabric.

Techniques Used

This is an advanced level pattern that draws on a range of knitting techniques, making it an excellent project for experienced knitters seeking a rewarding challenge:

• Knitting in the round – the entire hat is worked circularly, eliminating the need for seaming and creating a smooth, continuous fabric
• Two-colour ribbing – the brim is worked in a stranded rib using both Colour A and Colour B simultaneously, requiring careful tension management to keep the rib elastic
• Stranded colourwork / jacquard – the main body of the hat is worked from a charted grid, carrying both yarn colours across each round and catching floats as needed to maintain fabric integrity
• Chart reading – knitters must follow a multi-row colourwork chart, working rounds 1 to 37 in full, then repeating rounds 34 to 37 as directed throughout the body and into the crown shaping
• Crown shaping with decre