Bandana Hat in Rowan Brushed Fleece - RTP004-0007-DEP - Downloadable PDF

Bandana Hat in Rowan Brushed Fleece – Pattern Summary (RTP004-0007-DEP)

Designed by Martin Storey and published by Rowan, the Bandana Hat is a stylish, textured chunky-weight knitted hat worked flat and seamed. This downloadable PDF pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty and offers two sizes — S/M and L/XL — making it a versatile make for a wide range of wearers. The finished hat measures approximately 50 cm (S/M) or 54 cm (L/XL) in circumference and 26 cm in length, giving a generous, cosy fit suited to colder seasons.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a knitted hat with a bandana-inspired aesthetic, achieved through a carefully constructed colourwork and slip-stitch texture pattern across the body of the hat. The design combines a ribbed brim for a snug fit with a richly textured main body, and finishes with neat crown decreases that draw the top of the hat to a gathered point — a classic construction method that gives the finished piece a clean, professional appearance.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern uses Rowan Brushed Fleece, a luxuriously soft chunky-weight yarn sold in 50 g balls. Three colourways are called for, each used in a single ball:

• Colour A – Crag 253
• Colour B – Rock 273
• Colour C – Cairn 263

Rowan Brushed Fleece is a premium yarn known for its soft, halo-like brushed surface — a quality that lends the finished hat a warm, tactile depth and enhances the visual effect of the colourwork and slip-stitch patterning. Its chunky weight means the project knits up relatively quickly while still offering satisfying stitch definition.

Needles

The pattern calls for straight knitting needles in two sizes: 5 mm and 6 mm. The smaller 5 mm needles are used for the ribbed brim section, which creates a tighter, more elastic fabric to keep the hat securely in place. The larger 6 mm needles are used for the main body and crown, producing the correct tension for the textured stitch pattern.

Tension / Gauge

The stated tension is 15 stitches and 23 rows to 10 × 10 cm, measured over the main stitch pattern using 6 mm needles. Achieving the correct tension is particularly important in a hat pattern, as even small variations can significantly affect the finished circumference and fit.

Techniques and Construction

The hat is worked flat on straight needles and finished with a back seam. This method of construction — rather than working in the round — makes the pattern accessible to knitters who are comfortable with flat knitting and basic seaming. The key construction stages are:

• Ribbed brim: Cast on with Colour B (Rock 273) using 5 mm needles. The brim is worked in 2×2 rib (knit 2, purl 2) for six rows, ending on a wrong-side row. This creates the stretchy, fitted edge of the hat.
• Main body: Worked on 6 mm needles using a multi-colour slip-stitch pattern that alternates between Colours A, B, and C across a sequence of ten rows. The slip-stitch technique — where stitches are slipped purlwise with the yarn held at the back on right-side rows and at the front on wrong-side rows — creates a woven, interlocking visual texture without the complexity of stranded colourwork. This is a key technique that gives the hat its bandana-like, patterned character.
• Crown decreases: Worked in Colour B (Rock 273), the crown is shaped through a series of decrease rows that systematically reduce the stitch count. Beginning from 74 (82) stitches, decreases are worked every right-side row, reducing stitches progressively until only 15 (16) stitches remain. The yarn is then cut and drawn through the remaining stitches