If teapots get cozies, then certainly our ears should, too. Our Ear Cozy Hat protects precious ears from howling winds, while keeping your whole head (and nape!) toasty warm and looking darn cute besides!

Ear Cozy Hat | Purl Soho

This super fun knit employs short rows to shape a hat that follows the head’s anatomy, beginning with ear flaps, then working the back section so it covers the exact part of the neck that your collar doesn’t. Simple knit 2 togethers form the crown, which departs from your head’s shape and peaks in a gentle and very charming little point.

Ear Cozy Hat | Purl Soho

And because “cozy” is not just a feeling but a look, too, we added tassels to our ear flaps, sometimes directly to their cast-on edges and sometimes to the tips of some sweet and dangly I-cords.

Ear Cozy Hat | Purl Soho

Such attention to the details calls for a yarn that understands the brief. We chose our Linen Quill Worsted because its plump and lofty spin maintains heat, while its rustic beauty cuts the cute-factor with something a little more serious, like a slice of lemon in your chamomile tea.

Ear Cozy Hat | Purl Soho

Linen Quill Worsted also inspired us with its six stunning new colors. We used four of them here: Chestnut Red (above), Reed Gray (below, left), Golden Green (below, middle) and Birds Egg Blue (below, right). Plus Baked Earth and Blue Quartz, the Linen Quill Worsted palette is now 27 gorgeous colors strong! Pick your favorites and get cozy!

Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, you’ll love exploring all of our other yarn collections! Discover over 45 thoughtfully designed yarns in nearly every natural fiber and in every spectacular color you can imagine. Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn store, where every skein is created with care and your creativity in mind!

Ear Cozy Hat | Purl Soho

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Jake Canton. Click here to see even more of Jake’s designs!

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

Materials

Ear Cozy Hat | Purl Soho
  • Main Color (Body + I-Cords): 1 skein of Purl Soho’s Linen Quill Worsted, 50% fine highland wool, 35% alpaca, and 15% linen. Each skein is 164 yards/100 grams; approximately 60 (80, 100, 130, 160) yards required.
  • Contrast Color (Tassels): 1 skein of Linen Quill Worsted; approximately 6 yards required.
  • US 7 (4.5 mm), 16-inch circular needles
  • A set of US 7 double pointed needles
  • Stitch markers, including one unique
  • Optional: Purl Soho’s Pom Pom Maker Set, Extra Large + Jumbo for making tassels

For our hats, we used…

  • Baby Size
    • Main Color: Pale Oats
    • Contrast Color: Peony Pink
  • Toddler Size
    • Main Color: Chestnut Red
    • Contrast Color: Kiln Red
  • Kid Size
    • Main Color: Reed Gray
    • Contrast Color: Bright Flamingo
  • Adult Small
    • Main Color: Golden Green
    • Contrast Color: Pale Oats
  • Adult Large
    • Main Color: Bird’s Egg Blue
    • Contrast Color: Pink Pop

Gauge

19 stitches and 28 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

Sizes

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

Finished Circumference: Approximately 12¾ (14¾, 16¾, 19, 21) inches, comfortably stretching 1–2 inches

Finished Height at Center Back: 6 (7¼, 8½, 9¾, 11¼) inches

Notes

CONSTRUCTION

You will knit this hat in the round from the bottom edge to the crown. The Earflaps are shaped with Short Rows.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

SHORT ROW SHAPING: Wrap and Turn (wrp-t)

On the right side: Keeping yarn in back, slip next stitch purlwise from left needle to right needle. Bring yarn to front. Return slipped stitch to left needle. Bring yarn to back. Turn work so wrong side is facing you.

On the wrong side: Keeping yarn in front, slip next stitch purlwise from left needle to right needle. Bring yarn to back. Return slipped stitch to left needle. Bring yarn to front. Turn work so right side is facing you.

For a step-by-step video and photo tutorial of how to work this technique, please visit our Short Rows: Wrap + Turn Tutorial tutorial.

PATTERN

BEGIN AT CUFF

With Main Color, cast on 60 (70, 80, 90, 100) stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

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

Rounds 1 + 2: Purl to end of round.

Round 3: Knit to end of round.

WORK EARFLAPS

NOTE: You will shape Earflaps using Short Rows (see Special Instructions). You will work the left Ear Flap first, then the Right Ear Flap, and finish with short rows across the back of the head. Slip Beginning of Round Marker when you come to it during the short rows.

Short Row 1 (right side): K9 (10, 12, 13, 14), wrp-t.

Short Row 2 (wrong side): P3, wrp-t.

Short Row 3: Knit to wrapped stitch, knit wrapped stitch with its wrap, wrp-t.

Short Row 4: Purl to wrapped stitch, purl wrapped stitch with its wrap, wrp-t.

BABY + TODDLER SIZE ONLY

Short Rows 5–7: Repeat Short Rows 3 and 4 one (1, –, –, –) more time, then repeat Short Row 3 one more time.

Short Row 8 (wrong side): Purl to wrapped stitch, purl wrapped stitch with its wrap, p12 (14, –, –, –), wrp-t.

Short Row 9 (right side): K3 (3, –, –, –), wrp-t.

Short Row 10: Purl to wrapped stitch, purl wrapped stitch with its wrap, wrp-t.

Short Row 11: Knit to wrapped stitch, knit wrapped stitch with its wrap, wrp-t.

Short Rows 12-14: Repeat Short Rows 10 and 11 one (1, –, –, –) more time, then repeat Short Row 10 one more time.

Short Row 15: [Knit to wrapped stitch, knit wrapped stitch with its wrap] 2 times, wrp-t.

Short Row 16: Purl to wrapped stitch, purl wrapped stitch with its wrap, wrp-t

Short Row 17: Knit to wrapped stitch, knit wrapped stitch with its wrap, wrp-t.

Repeat Short Rows 16 and 17 one (1, –, –, –) more time, then repeat Short Row 16 one more time.

KID SIZE ONLY

Short Rows 5–9: Repeat Short Rows 3 and 4 two more times, then repeat Short Row 3 one more time.

Short Row 10 (wrong side): Purl to wrapped stitch, purl wrapped stitch with its wrap, p17, wrp-t.

Short Row 11 (right side): K3, wrp-t.

Short Row 12: Purl to wrapped stitch, purl wrapped stitch with its wrap, wrp-t.

Short Row 13: Knit to wrapped stitch, knit wrapped stitch with its wrap, wrp-t.

Short Rows 14–18: Repeat Short Rows 12 and 13 two more times, then repeat Short Row 12 one more time.

Short Row 19: [Knit to wrapped stitch, knit wrapped stitch with its wrap] 2 times, wrp-t.

Short Row 20: Purl to wrapped stitch, purl wrapped stitch with its wrap, wrp-t

Short Row 21: Knit to wrapped stitch, knit wrapped stitch with its wrap, wrp-t.

Repeat Short Rows 20 and 21 two more times, then repeat Short Row 20 one more time.

ADULT SMALL + ADULT LARGE SIZES ONLY

Short Rows 5–11: Repeat Short Rows 3 and 4 – (–, –, 3, 3) more times, then repeat Short Row 3 one more time.

Short Row 12 (wrong side): Purl to wrapped stitch, purl wrapped stitch with its wrap, p – (–, –, 18, 20), wrp-t.

Short Row 13 (right side): K– (–, –, 3, 3), wrp-t.

Short Row 14: Purl to wrapped stitch, purl wrapped stitch with its wrap, wrp-t.

Short Row 15: Knit to wrapped stitch, knit wrapped stitch with its wrap, wrp-t.

Short Rows 16–22: Repeat Short Rows 14 and 15 – (–, –, 3, 3) more times, then repeat Short Row 14 one more time.

Short Row 23: [Knit to wrapped stitch, knit wrapped stitch with its wrap] 2 times, wrp-t.

Short Row 24: Purl to wrapped stitch, purl wrapped stitch with its wrap, wrp-t

Short Row 25: Knit to wrapped stitch, knit wrapped stitch with its wrap, wrp-t.

Repeat Short Rows 24 and 25 – (–, –, 3, 3) more times, then repeat Short Row 24 one more time.

ALL SIZES

Next Row (partial row): Knit to end of row.

BODY

Knit every round, knitting remaining wrapped stitches with their wraps, until piece measures 4 (4¾, 5¼, 6, 7) inches from cast-on edge at center back (i.e. the end of round).

CROWN

Set-Up Round: *K12 (14, 16, 18, 20), pm, repeat from * to end of round.

Round 1: *Knit to 2 stitches before next marker, knit 2 together (k2tog), slip marker, repeat from * to end of round. [5 stitches decreased]

Round 2: Knit to end of round.

Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 nine (11, 13, 15, 17) more times, changing to double pointed needles when necessary. [10 stitches remain]

Next Round: *K2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [5 stitches remain]

Cut yarn and thread tail onto a tapestry needle. Thread tail through remaining stitches, pull taut and bring tail to inside of hat.

Weave in ends and gently wet block.

FINISHING

OPTIONAL I-CORD

With right side facing you and using Main Color and a double pointed needle, pick up and knit 3 stitches from the lowest point of an Ear Flap’s cast-on edge. Knit an I-cord for 6 (6, 7, 7, 8) inches. On the final row (slip 1, k2tog, pass slipped stitch over) to bind off.
Repeat for other Ear Flap.

TASSELS

MAKE TASSELS

Using the Contrast Color and following our Tassel Tutorial, make a 3 (3, 4, 4, 4)-inch long tassel.

For Baby- and Toddler-sized tassels, use the legs of our Extra Large Pom Pom Maker (or a piece of cardboard that measures 3½ inches along one side) and wrap the yarn 10 times.

For Kid-, Adult Small- and Adult Large-sized tassels, use the legs of our Jumbo Pom Pom Maker (or a piece of cardboard that measures 4¼ inches along one side) and wrap the yarn 14 times.

ATTACH TASSELS

With the right side facing you, use the tassels’ tails to attach a tassel to the lowest point of each Ear Flap’s cast-on edge or to the end of the I-cord.
Weave in the remaining ends.

Ear Cozy Hat | Purl Soho
Ear Cozy Hat | Purl Soho

Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!