Rosalie Hat + Poncho in MODE at Rowan Alpaca Wool - Downloadable PDF

Rosalie Hat + Poncho Knitting Pattern by Martin Storey – MODE at Rowan Alpaca Wool

The Rosalie Hat + Poncho is a beautifully coordinated knitwear set designed by Martin Storey and published as a downloadable PDF pattern under the Mode at Rowan brand. This intermediate-level knitting pattern produces two complementary accessories: a textured cable hat sized for an average adult woman's head, and a matching poncho. Both pieces are worked in Rowan Alpaca Wool, a luxuriously soft DK weight yarn available in a range of shades, with the photographed sample shown in Fawn 015. The combination of cables and stocking stitch gives the set a classic, elegant character that is both wearable and visually striking.

The Rosalie Hat

The Rosalie Hat is designed to fit an average adult woman's head with an approximate finished circumference of 50 cm (19¾ in). One of the appealing features of this pattern is that it can be knitted in two different construction methods: worked flat on straight needles, or worked in the round on circular and double-pointed needles. Both versions produce the same finished hat, giving knitters the flexibility to choose whichever technique they are most comfortable with.

Techniques and Construction

The hat begins with a 2×2 ribbed brim, worked over a cast-on of 118 stitches using 3.25mm (US 3) needles. The rib creates a neat, stretchy edge that sits comfortably around the head. After the ribbing is complete, the work transitions to the main body of the hat using 3.75mm (US 5) needles, where a combination of stocking stitch and a cable pattern is introduced. The cable section is central to the hat's design, adding rich texture and visual interest.

The cable pattern features two key cable crossings:

• C4B (Cable 4 Back) – slip 2 stitches onto a cable needle and hold at the back of the work, knit the next 2 stitches, then knit the 2 stitches from the cable needle. This creates a right-leaning twist.
• C4F (Cable 4 Front) – slip 2 stitches onto a cable needle and hold at the front of the work, knit the next 2 stitches, then knit the 2 stitches from the cable needle. This creates a left-leaning twist.

The cable pattern is worked over an 8-row repeat, and the hat body continues until it measures 21 cm, ending on row 8 of the cable pattern. A make 1 (M1) increase is also referenced, worked by inserting the left needle under the strand running between stitches and knitting through it to create a neat, nearly invisible increase.

Crown Shaping

Once the body of the hat reaches the required length, the crown shaping begins. This is worked through a series of decrease rows that gradually reduce the stitch count from 116 stitches down through multiple stages using K2tog (knit two together) decreases. The decreases are spaced to create a smooth, rounded crown. The shaping rows alternate between knit decrease rows and plain purl rows, maintaining the stocking stitch fabric as the crown closes. The stitch count reduces through stages: 116 sts, then 97 sts, then 78 sts, then 59 sts, and continues to decrease until the crown is complete and the remaining stitches can be gathered and secured.

Stitches Used – Hat

• 2×2 Rib (K2, P2) – for the brim
• Stocking Stitch – for the main body sections
• Cable 4 Back (C4B) – right-leaning cable cross
• Cable 4 Front (C4F) – left-leaning cable cross
• K2tog – standard right-leaning decrease used in crown shaping
• Make