This Garter Ear Flap Hat was an engineering feat to get me back on my feet. You see, I didn’t exactly have that quintessential fresh-start feeling that so often comes with the New Year. Instead, I spent January 1st in bed with the flu and its attendant fever, aches, chills, and delirium. Just as the worst was passing, Mother Nature blasted us with a Polar Vortex that I did not have the strength nor will to face.

Garter Ear Flap Hat | Purl Soho

Cabin fever set in! Groggy from illness and stir-crazed from quarantine, I was determined to prove my health (and sanity), and so, making this hat became a triumphant product of my bruised spirit. I created this hat that simultaneously hangs on and hugs my head, which provides protection and insulation from a season that had been beating me down.

Garter Ear Flap Hat | Purl Soho

Still enamored with the ease of working short rows in garter stitch (as with my Knit Elbow Patches), I constructed this hat in one seamless piece using Purl Soho’s soft and lush Alpaca Pure. The more I knit with this incredibly comforting yarn, the better I felt. And the topper made it official. Slightly pointed with a tiny tassel, the finish delivered cheer and whimsy. I was back to my healthy self!

Garter Ear Flap Hat | Purl Soho

With my head toasty warm and back in full heath, that fresh-start feeling did arrive… just a little late this year. A belated Happy New Year to all! May it be a healthy one. -Laura

UPDATE: NOW IN PLENTY

DECEMBER 2022

Garter Ear Flap Hat | Purl Soho

In our soft and springy Plenty, our Garter Ear Flap Hat will keep your ears downright toasty! This 100% extra fine merino is as un-scratchy as wool gets, and it has a tidy, high twist that wards off pills… extra important for a hat that’s going to get as much use as this one! With over twenty colors of Plenty to choose from, surely there’s one to make you grin from ear to ear!

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Laura Ferguson.

Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, and #PurlSohoGarterEarFlapHat. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Materials

Garter Ear Flap Hat | Purl Soho

  • 1 (1, 1, 2, 2, 2) skein(s) of Purl Soho’s Alpaca Pure, 100% alpaca, or another Aran weight yarn; approximately 55 (70 , 87, 120 , 153, 196) yards. We used the colors Heirloom White (Artemisia, Storm Gray) for the Baby (Kid, Adult Medium) hat.
  • US 8 (5 mm), 12-inch (for Baby size) or 16-inch circular needle
  • US 7 (4.5 mm), 12-inch (for Baby size) or 16-inch circular needle
  • Set of US 7 double pointed needles
  • Removable stitch markers, including 1 unique

Gauge

17 stitches and 32 rows = 4 inches in garter stitch with smaller needle

Sizes

Baby (Toddler, Kid, Adult Small, Adult Medium, Adult Large)

  • Finished Circumference: 14 (16, 17¾, 19¾, 21¾, 23½) inches
  • Finished Height: 7¼ (8, 9, 10, 11½, 12¾) inches, from bottom of ear flap to top of hat, not including tassel

Notes

The Right and Left Ear Flaps are shaped using short rows. For our complete  Short Rows Tutorial, please click here. NOTE: Because the short rows are worked in garter stitch in this pattern, you do not have to pick up the wraps; simply ignore the wraps when you come to them and work the wrapped stitch normally.

wrp-t [wrap and turn]: keeping the yarn in back, slip the next stitch purlwise from the left needle to the right needle. Bring the yarn forward as if to purl. Return the stitch from the right needle back to the left needle. Turn the work.

s2kp [slip slip knit pass]: Slip two stitches together knitwise, knit 1, pass slipped stitches over knit stitch and off needle. (2 stitches decreased)

Pattern

Begin

With larger needle, cast on 60 (68, 76, 84, 92, 100) stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Place marker and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.

Knit 2 rounds.

Change to smaller needles.

Next round: Knit 3 (4, 4, 4, 5, 6) stitches, place marker (pm), knit 16 (18, 20, 23, 25, 27) stitches for Left Ear Flap, pm, knit 22 (24, 28, 30, 32, 34) stitches for Front, pm, knit 16 (18, 20, 23, 25, 27) stitches for Right Ear Flap, pm, knit to end.

Shape Left Ear Flap

NOTE: For this portion of the pattern, you will be working in Short Rows, back and forth, turning the work part way through each round, rather than continuing to the end of the needle. For a tutorial, click here.

NOTE: If a dash (” – “) appears in place of a number for your size, omit this line of instruction.

Garter Ear Flap Hat | Purl Soho

Next Row (right side): Knit to 7 (8, 9, 10, 11, 12) stitches before second marker, wrp-t.

Next Row: Knit to 7 (8, 9, 10, 11, 12) stitches before next marker, wrp-t.

Next Two Rows: Knit to – (-, -, -, -, 11) stitches before next marker, wrp-t.

Next Two Rows: Knit to – (-, -, -, 10, 10) stitches before next marker, wrp-t.

Next Two Rows: Knit to – (-, -, 9, 9, 9) stitches before next marker, wrp-t.

Next Two Rows: Knit to – (-, 8, 8, 8, 8) stitches before next marker, wrp-t.

Next Two Rows: Knit to – (7, 7, 7, 7, 7) stitches before next marker, wrp-t.

Next Two Rows (all sizes): Knit to 6 stitches before next marker, wrp-t.

Next Two Rows: Knit to 5 stitches before next marker, wrp-t.

Next Two Rows: Knit to 4 stitches before next marker, wrp-t.

Next Two Rows: Knit to 3 stitches before next marker, wrp-t.

Next Two Rows: Knit to 2 stitches before next marker, wrp-t.

Next Two Rows: Knit to 1 stitches before next marker, wrp-t.

Shape Right Ear Flap

NOTE: For this portion of the pattern, you will once again be working in Short Rows.

NOTE: If a ” – ” appears in place of a number for your size, omit this line of instruction.

Garter Ear Flap Hat | Purl Soho

Next Row (right side): Knit to 7 (8, 9, 10, 11, 12) stitches before fourth marker, wrp-t.

Next Row: Knit to 7 (8, 9, 10, 11, 12) stitches before next marker, wrp-t.

Next Two Rows: Knit to – (-, -, -, -, 11) stitches before next marker, wrp-t.

Next Two Rows: Knit to – (-, -, -, 10, 10) stitches before next marker, wrp-t.

Next Two Rows: Knit to – (-, -, 9, 9, 9) stitches before next marker, wrp-t.

Next Two Rows: Knit to – (-, 8, 8, 8, 8) stitches before next marker, wrp-t.

Next Two Rows: Knit to – (7, 7, 7, 7, 7) stitches before next marker, wrp-t.

Next Two Rows (all sizes): Knit to 6 stitches before next marker, wrp-t.

Next Two Rows: Knit to 5 stitches before next marker, wrp-t.

Next Two Rows: Knit to 4 stitches before next marker, wrp-t.

Next Two Rows: Knit to 3 stitches before next marker, wrp-t.

Next Two Rows: Knit to 2 stitches before next marker, wrp-t.

Next Two Rows: Knit to 1 stitches before next marker, wrp-t.

Next Row: Knit to end of round.

Work Body of Hat

Round 1: Purl (removing 4 stitch markers).

Round 2: Knit.

Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 until piece measures 4 (4¼, 4¾, 5¼, 6¼, 7) inches from the rolled edge at the center of an Ear Flap, or until approximately 3¼ (3¾, 4¼, 4¾, 5¼, 5¾) inches shy of desired finished height.

Shape Crown of Hat

NOTE: Switch to double pointed needles when necessary.

Set-Up Round: P7 (8, 9, 10, 11, 12), k1, place removable marker on previous stitch, [p14 (16, 18, 20, 22, 24), k1, place removable marker on previous stitch] three times, purl to end of round.

Round 1: [Knit to one stitch before next marked stitch, remove marker, s2kp (see Pattern Notes above), place removable stitch marker on the s2kp] four times, knit to end of round. [8 stitches decreased]

Round 2: [Purl to marked stitch, k1] four times, purl to end of round.

Round 3: Knit.

Round 4: Repeat Round 2.

Repeat Rounds 1-4 five (6, 7, 8, 9, 10) more times. [12 stitches]

Next Round: Repeat Round 1. [4 stitches]

Next Round: Knit.

Finish

Cut yarn leaving a 24-inch tail, thread onto tapestry needle and pull through remaining stitches. Make a Tiny Attached Tassel by following the instructions found here.

Weave in your ends and block as desired.

Garter Ear Flap Hat | Purl Soho