Women’s Shrug and Hat in Plymouth Baby Alpaca Aire - F477

Women's Shrug and Hat in Plymouth Baby Alpaca Aire – Pattern F477

This free downloadable knitting pattern from Plymouth Yarn presents two coordinating accessories designed for women: a cozy shrug and a matching hat, both worked in the luxuriously soft Plymouth Baby Alpaca Aire yarn. The pattern is identified as F477 from the Plymouth Yarn Design Studio and is offered free with yarn purchase. Together, the shrug and hat make a beautifully cohesive set, united by the distinctive texture of brioche stitch and the cloud-like drape of baby alpaca fiber.

Materials and Yarn

Both pieces are knitted using Plymouth Baby Alpaca Aire in color 5011, a 100g ball weight yarn celebrated for its featherlight feel and natural warmth. The yardage requirements differ between the two pieces:

• Hat: 2 balls of Plymouth Baby Alpaca Aire (both sizes)
• Shrug: 6 balls for size S/M, or 7 balls for size L/XL

Baby alpaca fiber is prized for being hypoallergenic, exceptionally soft against the skin, and warmer than sheep's wool by weight, making it an ideal choice for accessories worn close to the face and neck. The Aire construction gives the yarn an airy, lofty quality that enhances the open texture of brioche stitch.

Needles and Tools

• US size 9 straight needles – used for the main body of both the hat and the shrug
• US size 9 long circular needle – used for the collar of the shrug
• US size 9 short circular needle – used for the ribbed band of the hat
• 4 stitch markers

Gauge

Achieving the correct gauge is essential for proper fit. The pattern specifies two gauge measurements, both on US size 9 needles:

• 16 stitches and 24 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
• 3.75 stitches = 1 inch in brioche stitch

Note that brioche stitch gauge differs from standard stockinette gauge, so knitters should swatch in both stitch patterns before beginning.

The Hat

Sizing

• Hat circumference: 21½ inches, or 22½ inches for the larger size

Construction and Techniques

The hat is worked flat on straight needles and then seamed, with a ribbed band added afterward on short circular needles. It begins with a cast-on of 80 stitches (84 for the larger size) and is worked entirely in brioche stitch for approximately 7 to 7½ inches, ending on a wrong-side row. The brioche section forms the main body of the hat and gives it its characteristic squishy, ridged texture.

After the brioche section is complete, the crown shaping begins using a series of strategic knit-two-together (k2tog) decreases worked across multiple right-side rows, with purl rows worked on all wrong-side rows. The decreases are worked in stages:

• An initial decrease row reduces the stitch count significantly
• Subsequent decrease rows work k2tog at regular intervals, reducing from 80–84 stitches down to just 11–12 stitches
• A purl front and back (pfb) increase is also incorporated at the start of the shaping section to manage stitch counts during the transition from brioche to stockinette-style decreases

Once the final stitches remain, the yarn tail is drawn through them and the side seam is sewn to close the hat. A rib band is then picked up and knitted along the cast-on edge using the short circular needle, finishing the hat with a neat, structured brim.

Key Stitches – Hat