Earflap Hat in Plymouth Yarn Encore Mega Colorspun - F583 - Downloadable PDF

Earflap Hat Knitting Pattern – Plymouth Yarn Encore Mega Colorspun (Pattern F583)

This free downloadable PDF pattern from Plymouth Yarn Design Studio (pattern number F583) guides knitters through creating a cozy, colorful Earflap Hat sized for adults. Worked in the brand's eye-catching Encore Mega Colorspun yarn, this project is an excellent introduction to combining flat and circular knitting techniques, making it a perfect beginner-friendly knitting pattern that still produces a stylish, functional finished piece.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is an adult-sized earflap hat — a classic cold-weather accessory featuring two shaped ear coverings that are knitted separately before being joined to the main body of the hat. The earflaps add both warmth and visual interest, and the variegated colorspun yarn means the finished hat has a lively, multicolored appearance without requiring any complex colorwork techniques.

Materials Required

• Yarn: 1 x 100g ball of Plymouth Yarn Encore Mega Colorspun — the sample shown uses color 7158
• Needles: A 16-inch circular needle in US size 15 for the main hat body and earflap flat sections
• Needles: A set of double pointed needles (DPNs) in US size 11 or 13 for working the crown decreases in the round
• Notions: 1 stitch marker and a stitch holder

Yarn Weight and Gauge

Encore Mega Colorspun is a super chunky weight yarn, which means this hat knits up very quickly — ideal for beginners who want fast, satisfying results. The pattern gauge is 2 stitches per inch over stockinette stitch, so the fabric is wonderfully thick and warm. Because the yarn is a colorspun (self-striping or variegated) construction, the color transitions happen naturally as you knit, giving the hat a rich, handcrafted look with minimal effort.

Techniques Used

• Flat knitting on circular needles: The earflaps are worked back and forth in rows on the circular needle, used as if they were straight needles — a great technique for beginners to practice before moving into working in the round
• Knitting in the round: Once the earflaps are complete and joined, the hat body is worked in the round on the 16-inch circular needle
• Transitioning to double pointed needles: As the crown decreases reduce the stitch count, knitters switch to DPNs to comfortably finish the top of the hat
• Joining separate pieces: The two earflaps and a cast-on section for the back of the hat are joined together to form a single working round — a useful construction technique that teaches knitters how flat-knit components can be incorporated into circular projects
• Stitch holding: The first earflap is slipped to a holder while the second is completed, then both are joined in a single joining row

Stitches Used

• Stockinette stitch (St st): The primary stitch pattern, creating a smooth knit fabric on the right side — worked as knit on right-side rows and purl on wrong-side rows when flat, and as all knit stitches when working in the round
• Garter selvedge: Wrong-side rows begin and end with a knit stitch (k1, purl to last st, k1), creating a neat, stable edge on the earflaps
• Kf&b (knit front and back): A simple increase stitch used to shape the earflaps, adding one stitch by knitting into both the front and back loops of the same stitch — beginner-friendly and produces a subtle bar increase
• Crown decreases: Used to shape and close the top of the hat as the project nears completion

Construction Overview

The pattern begins by casting on just 3 stitches for the first earflap and working a series of increase