Kenwyn Hat

Kenwyn Hat and Cowl by Rachel Coopey

What Is Being Made

The Kenwyn is a coordinating set consisting of a hat and cowl designed by Rachel Coopey for Fyberspates. This two-piece collection combines practical warmth with sophisticated style, allowing the knitter to create matching accessories that work together as a cohesive set or separately as individual pieces.

Hat Specifications

• Circumference: 51cm (20 inches)
• Depth: 23.5cm (9.25 inches)
• Fit: Designed to fit head circumference up to 56cm (22 inches)

Cowl Specifications

• Circumference: 71cm (28 inches)
• Depth: 24.5cm (9.75 inches)

Techniques and Stitches Used

This intermediate-level knitting project employs a combination of classic and decorative techniques to create visual interest and texture. The pattern features lace work combined with cable stitches, creating a sophisticated interplay between openwork and dimensional twisted stitches.

Key cable techniques include:

• C6F (Cable 6 Front): Slip 3 stitches to cable needle and place at front of work, knit 3, then knit 3 from cable needle. This cable is worked across each round of the hat a total of five times and across each round of the cowl seven times.
• C6B (Cable 6 Back): Slip 3 stitches to cable needle and place at back of work, knit 3, then knit 3 from cable needle.
• CDD (Centered Double Decrease): Slip 2 stitches together knitwise, knit 1, then pass the 2 slipped stitches over the knitted stitch, creating a centered decrease.
• K2tog (Knit Two Together): A basic right-leaning decrease used throughout the pattern.

The pattern is organized using charted instructions with a corresponding written format, allowing knitters to follow either visual charts or line-by-line written directions. A rib chart is included as part of the pattern structure, likely for cuff or edge finishing. The pattern works in the round, as indicated by the use of "rnd" (round) abbreviations.

Yarn and Materials

This project is designed for aran weight yarn, specifically Fyberspates Scrumptious Aran. This luxury yarn blend contains 45% silk and 55% merino wool, providing both softness and breathability. Each skein yields 165 meters (approximately 180 yards) and weighs 100 grams.

The combination of silk and merino creates a yarn with excellent drape and a subtle sheen, making it ideal for showcasing the lace and cable details in this design. The aran weight provides enough substance to create defined stitch definition while remaining comfortable for close-to-face wear in a hat.

Knitting needles appropriate for aran weight yarn (typically US 8–10 / 5–6mm) and a cable needle are required to complete this project.

Difficulty Level

Rated as intermediate, this pattern is suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are comfortable working cables and reading charts. The combination of lace and cable techniques requires attention to stitch counts and pattern repeats, making it an engaging project for developing knitters.