Iris Hat in Rowan Cotton Wool - RB003-00005-ENP - Downloadable PDF

Iris Hat by Georgia Farrell in Rowan Cotton Wool – Pattern Summary

About This Design

The Iris Hat is a charming knitted baby hat designed by Georgia Farrell and published by Rowan as pattern reference RB003-00005-ENP. Available as a downloadable PDF, this intermediate-level pattern creates a snug, well-shaped hat complete with distinctive earflaps — a practical and stylish accessory for babies from newborn through to twelve months. The design is photographed in Moon 211, a soft, neutral shade that showcases the textural stitch detailing beautifully.

Sizes Available

The Iris Hat is written in four sizes to suit babies at different stages of development:

• 0–3 months – approximately 33 cm / 13 in head circumference
• 3–6 months – approximately 34.5 cm / 13½ in head circumference
• 6–9 months – approximately 36 cm / 14¼ in head circumference
• 9–12 months – approximately 37.5 cm / 14¾ in head circumference

These actual measurements refer to the finished hat circumference, ensuring a comfortable and secure fit across each age group.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a knitted baby hat with integrated earflaps. The earflaps are a key design feature, worked with a carefully constructed travelling stitch panel that creates a raised, sculptural texture above each ear. The construction method uses marked stitches as central reference points, with the stitch pattern expanding and contracting symmetrically on either side of these markers to form the decorative earflap panels. This approach gives the hat a polished, professional finish that goes well beyond a simple ribbed or stocking stitch baby beanie.

Techniques Used

Knitters working on the Iris Hat will use a range of techniques suited to an intermediate skill level:

• Earflap construction – the earflaps are worked as integral parts of the hat rather than sewn on separately, requiring careful attention to stitch markers and row-by-row shaping instructions
• Stitch marker placement – markers are used to identify the central stitch of each earflap panel, and the pattern is worked symmetrically in relation to these markers throughout
• Symmetrical panel shaping – the textured panel above each earflap shifts in width across successive rows, moving from a wider knit column to a narrower one, creating a tapered, organic effect
• Right-side and wrong-side row management – the pattern alternates between RS and WS rows with different stitch arrangements on each, requiring the knitter to track row direction carefully

Stitches Used

The Iris Hat combines simple knit and purl stitches arranged in a structured, shifting pattern to create its signature textured earflap panels. Specific stitch details from the pattern include:

• Knit stitch (K) – used throughout the body of the hat and as the central column within the earflap panel
• Purl stitch (P) – used to frame the knit columns within the earflap panels, creating contrast and definition
• Travelling knit and purl panels – the earflap pattern shifts the ratio of knit to purl stitches across rows, for example moving from a K3 centre flanked by P5 to a K5 centre flanked by P3, and then to a K7 centre flanked by P1, creating a widening knit column effect
• Reverse stocking stitch sections – purl stitches on the right side create raised, textured areas that contrast with the smooth knit fabric

This combination of knit and purl manipulation is a classic technique in hand knitting, used here to great effect to add visual interest to what might otherwise be a straightforward baby hat silhouette.

Materials Required

The Iris Hat is worked in Rowan Cotton Wool, a DK weight