873 Sugarplum Hat and Cowl - Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Charlemont

873 Sugarplum Hat and Cowl - Knitting Pattern Overview

What Is Being Made

This knitting pattern by Julie Turjoman creates a coordinated set consisting of a fitted fall beanie hat and a matching cowl. The design offers versatility with three hat sizes—small, medium, and large—to fit head circumferences of 18-19 inches, 20-21 inches, and 22-23 inches respectively. The cowl is available in one size, measuring 9 inches in height and 21½ inches in width. Both pieces are designed as quick weekend projects and make excellent handmade gifts.

Techniques and Construction Methods

Both the hat and cowl are worked in the round using circular needles, creating seamless garments with a professional finish. The pattern employs bottom-up construction, meaning you begin at the lower edge and work upward toward the crown of the hat and the top of the cowl. The most distinctive design feature is the two-color slip stitch pattern that appears on the cowl and the rise of the hat, creating visual depth and textural interest without requiring complex colorwork techniques. This striped slip stitch technique allows knitters to work with two colors while only actively knitting with one color at a time, making it more manageable than traditional stranded colorwork.

Stitches and Stitch Definition

The pattern utilizes the slip stitch technique as its primary decorative element. Slip stitches are created by passing the working yarn over a stitch without knitting it, which produces the characteristic textured appearance and allows the two colors to create visual contrast and dimensional interest. The yarn fiber itself—a blend of fine superwash merino, mulberry silk, and polyamide—provides excellent stitch definition, meaning each individual stitch remains clear and well-defined throughout the finished pieces, enhancing the visibility and beauty of the slip stitch pattern work.

Yarn and Materials

This pattern calls for Valley Yarns Charlemont, a worsted weight yarn (4-ply) composed of 60% fine superwash merino, 20% mulberry silk, and 20% polyamide. Each 100-gram skein provides 439 yards of yardage. The pattern requires two skeins total—one in Purple Passion (Color A) and one in Mulberry (Color B)—creating a sophisticated two-tone colorway. The superwash merino provides warmth and easy care, while the mulberry silk adds softness, luster, and superior stitch definition. The polyamide content contributes durability and elasticity.

Needles and Tools

The pattern requires 16-inch circular needles in two sizes. The primary working needles are US size 3 (3.25 mm) circular needles, though knitters should select the size that achieves the pattern's specified gauge. Ribbing and other edging sections are worked on smaller US size 2 (2.75 mm) circular needles to create a snug, elastic finish that prevents stretching.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty, making it suitable for knitters with some experience beyond absolute beginners. While the seamless in-the-round construction and slip stitch colorwork require familiarity with these techniques, neither element is overly complex, and the relatively small circumference of a hat makes it a manageable project for developing these skills.