A beautiful hat whose color can suit your mood and whose double-layer fabric feels as soft and cozy as a lamb… And a cowl that does the same? Now we’re talking!

Reversible Hat + Cowl In New Colors | Purl Soho

Our Reversible Hat + Cowl are fun and surprising little knits. You start by knitting an entire hat (or cowl) in the round in one color, work a purl turning round, and then knit the whole thing again in a second color. For the hat, you tuck one color inside the other and join them with a tassel, and for the cowl, you graft the beginning to the end with Kitchener Stitch.

Reversible Hat + Cowl In New Colors | Purl Soho

While our Reversible Cowl pattern has always been free, we’re happy to say that the Reversible Hat pattern is now zero dollars as well. With instructions for sizes baby to adult large, that’s a bargain!

Reversible Hat + Cowl In New Colors | Purl Soho

Both the Hat and Cowl are still knit up in our absolutely gorgeous Line Weight. An elegant single ply of 100% merino wool, it is very lightweight and exceedingly soft, with a lovely downy halo. Two layers of it are just right for keeping you warm but unladen.

Reversible Hat + Cowl In New Colors | Purl Soho

But the best part of all? We think it’s the opportunity to play with color! We just added five pretty new colors to the Line Weight collection (and used newbies Clear Sky and Lilac Fog here), making the entire palette is a playground filled with fun choices and unexpected combinations!

Reversible Hat + Cowl In New Colors | Purl Soho

Do a little color dance, and cast on for some double trouble!

Reversible Hat + Cowl In New Colors | Purl Soho

Designed for Purl Soho by Whitney Van Nes.

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

Materials

Reversible Hat + Cowl In New Colors | Purl Soho

Hat

  • Color A: 1 skein of Purl Soho’s Line Weight, 100% merino wool. Each skein is 494 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 110 (130, 165, 200, 240) yards required. We used Heirloom White for one hat and Clear Sky for the other.
  • Color B: 1 skein of Line Weight; approximately 110 (125, 160, 195, 235) yards required. We used River Rock with Heirloom White and Super Pink with Clear Sky.
  • A set of US 3 (3.25mm) double pointed needles (all sizes)
  • A US 3, 16-inch circular needles (Adult S/M and M/L sizes only)
  • Stitch markers, including one unique

Cowl

  • Color A: 1 skein of Purl Soho’s Line Weight; 100% merino wool. Each skein is 494 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 173 (235) yards required. We used Lilac Fog for one cowl and Kiln Red for the other.
  • Color B: 1 skein of Line Weight; approximately 182 (247) yards required. We used Peony Pink with Lilac Fog and Bright Flamingo with Kiln Red.
  • US 4 (3.5 mm), 16- or 20-inch circular needles 
  • Stitch markers

For the Provisional Cast On you will also need…

  • A few yards of smooth scrap yarn
  • crochet hook to fit the size of the scrap yarn
  • Spare circular needles, US 3 (3.25 mm) or smaller, 16 inches or longer

NOTE: To make a Hat and Cowl set of any size, using the same colors, you’ll need just one skein of each color.

GAUGE

Hat

31 stitches and 40 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

Cowl

28 stitches and 38 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

SIZES

Hat

Baby (Toddler, Kid, Adult S/M, Adult M/L)

  • Finished Circumference: 12¾ (14, 16¼, 18½, 21) inches
  • Finished Height: 7 (7¾, 8½, 9¼, 10) inches

Samples: We knit both of our samples in the Adult S/M size.

Cowl

Toddler/Kid (Adult)

  • Finished Circumference at Top: 17¾ (20) inches
  • Finished Circumference at Bottom: 20 (22¼) inches
  • Finished Height: 11 (12½) inches

Samples: We knit both of our samples in the Adult size.

Patterns

Hat

Color A Hat

With Color A and using a Long Tail Cast On, loosely cast 9 stitches evenly onto three double pointed needles, leaving a 3-foot tail.

Join for working in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.

Round 1: Knit into front and back (kfb) 9 times. [18 stitches]

Reversible Hat + Cowl In New Colors | Purl Soho

NOTE: In Round 2, when you place the first marker, use a unique one to indicate the first needle (see above).

Round 2: *[K1, kfb, place marker (pm)] 2 times, k1, kfb, repeat from * to end of round. [27 stitches]

Round 3 (Increase Round): *[Knit to 1 stitch before next marker, kfb] 2 times, knit to last stitch on needle, kfb, repeat from * to end of round. [9 stitches increased]

Round 4: Knit to end of round.

Repeat Rounds 3 and 4 four more times. [72 stitches]

Next Round: Repeat Round 3.

Knit 2 rounds.

Repeat last three rounds 2 (3, 5, 5, 5) more times. [99 (108, 126, 126, 126) stitches]

Sizes Adult S/M + Adult M/L Only

NOTE: In the following round, replace the old unique marker with one that’s the same as the others.

Next Round: Changing to 16-inch circular needles, *[knit to 1 stitch before next marker, kfb] 2 times, knit to last stitch on needle, kfb, pm, repeat from * to end of round, place unique marker to indicate beginning of round. [– (–, –, 135, 135) stitches]

Knit 2 rounds.

Next Round: *Knit to one stitch before next marker, kfb, repeat from * to end of round. [[– (–, –, 144, 144) stitches]

Adult M/L Only

Repeat last three rounds 2 more times. [162 stitches]

All Sizes

Removing all but the beginning-of-round marker, knit every round until piece measures 7 (7¾, 8½, 9¼, 10) inches from the cast-on edge.

Cut Color A and join Color B.

Color B Hat

With Color B, knit 1 round.

Purl 1 round.

Reversible Hat + Cowl In New Colors | Purl Soho

Continue even in stockinette stitch until the Color B piece measures the same as from the end of the Color A increases to the Color B purl round; or until point A to B equals point B to C. (See above, and please note that we used these colors for our original version of this hat. They are Heirloom White and Super Pink.)

Sizes Baby, Toddler, + Kid Only

Next Round: *[K9 (10, 12, –, –), knit 2 together (k2tog), pm] 2 times, knit to last two stitches on needle, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [90 (99, 117, –, –) stitches remain]

Sizes Adult S/M + Adult M/L Only

Next Round: *K – (–, –, 14, 16), k2tog, pm, repeat from * to end of round. [– (–, –, 135, 153) stitches remain]

Knit 2 rounds.

Next Round: *Knit to 2 stitches before next marker, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [9 stitches decreased]

Repeat last three rounds – (–, –, 0, 2) more times. [– (–, –, 126, 126) stitches remain]

Knit 2 rounds.

Next Round: Changing to double pointed needles, *[knit to 2 stitches before next marker, k2tog] 3 times, remove last marker, starting with next double pointed needle, repeat from * to end of round. [– (–, –, 117, 117) stitches remain; 39 stitches on each needle]

All Sizes

Turn the entire piece inside out and weave in just the ends where you changed colors. Turn the piece back to right side out.

Knit 2 rounds.

Decrease Round: *Knit to 2 stitches before next marker (or end of needle), k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [9 stitches decreased]

Repeat last three rounds 0 (1, 3, 3, 3) more time(s). [81 stitches remain]

Knit 1 round.

Next Round: Repeat Decrease Round.

Repeat last two rounds 4 more times. [36 stitches remain]

Knit 2 rounds.

Next Round: Repeat Decrease Round.

Repeat last three rounds 2 more times. [9 stitches remain]

Cut a 3-foot tail and thread it onto a tapestry needle. Sew the tail through the remaining stitches and pull taut.

Finishing

With the Color B tail still on the tapestry needle, insert the needle through the top of the Color B hat and out the top of the Color A, pulling the Color B hat inside of Color A hat.

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Using the Color B tail, make a tassel at the top of the Color A hat. Our Tiny Attached Tassel tutorial explains how.

Repeat for the other side of the hat: Thread the Color A tail onto a yarn needle and insert the needle through the top of the Color A hat, and flipping so Color B hat is on the outside, bring the needle out the top of the Color B hat. Make a tassel and the two hats are securely in place!

Weave in any remaining ends. Since only the right sides are accessible at this point, sew tails diagonally under the knit stitches, come back the other way, and trim.

Gently wet block and enjoy your hat (hats?)!

Cowl

Begin At Bottom

With Color B, use a Provisional Cast On to cast 140 (156) stitches onto circular needles.

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

Work in stockinette stitch, knitting every round, until piece measures ¼ (½) inch from cast-on edge.

Purl 1 round.

Knit 1 round.

Cut Color B and join Color A.

Continue in stockinette stitch until piece measures 2¼ (2½) inches from purl round.

Decrease To Top

Decrease Round 1: [K33 (37), knit 2 together (k2tog)] 4 times. [136 (152) stitches]

Continue in stockinette stitch until piece measures 4½ (5) inches from purl round.

Decrease Round 2: [K32 (36), k2tog] 4 times. [132 (148) stitches]

Continue in stockinette stitch until piece measures 6¾ (7½) inches from purl round.

Decrease Round 3: [K31 (35), k2tog] 4 times. [128 (144) stitches]

Continue in stockinette stitch until piece measures 9 (10) inches from purl round.

Decrease Round 4: [K30 (34), k2tog] 4 times. [124 (140) stitches]

Continue in stockinette stitch until piece measures 11 (12½) inches from purl round.

Cut Color A and join Color B.

Knit 1 round.

Purl 1 round.

Increase Back To Bottom

Continue in stockinette stitch until piece measures 2 (2½) inches from second purl round.

Increase Round 1: [K31 (35), make 1 right (m1R)] 4 times. [128 (144) stitches]

Continue in stockinette stitch until piece measures 4¼ (5) inches from second purl round.

Increase Round 2: [K32 (36), m1R] 4 times. [132 (148) stitches]

Continue in stockinette stitch until piece measures 6½ (7½) inches from second purl round.

Increase Round 3: [K33 (37), m1R] 4 times. [136 (152) stitches]

Continue in stockinette stitch until piece measures 8¾ (10) inches from second purl round.

Increase Round 4: [K34 (38), m1R] 4 times. [140 (156) stitches]

Continue in stockinette stitch until piece measures 10¾ (12) inches from second purl round.

Cut Color B, leaving a 42-inch tail.

Finish

Weave in all the ends, except the 42-inch tail.

Removing the scrap yarn, slip the live stitches of the Provisional Cast On onto the spare needles.

Reversible Hat + Cowl In New Colors | Purl Soho

Bring the Color B section inside the Color A tube, wrong (purl) sides facing each other. (See above, and please note that we used these colors for our original version of this cowl quite a few years ago. Unfortunately, they are no longer available.)

Thread the 42-inch tail onto a tapestry needle and holding the working and spare needles parallel, use the Kitchener Stitch to graft the edges together.

Weave in the remaining end. Since only the right side is accessible at this point, sew the tail diagonally under the knit stitches, come back the other way and trim.

Block your cowl and when it’s dry, enjoy it!

Reversible Hat + Cowl In New Colors | Purl Soho
Reversible Hat + Cowl In New Colors | Purl Soho