I know nobody feels sorry for me when I complain about being cold. I see your web pics of your ice storms and blizzards; I know it’s colder where many of you live. I also see your Bean boots, woodstoves, down coats. My point being: You’re equipped for cold. We, my friends, are not. While it’s perpetually arctic in my studio (year-round!), it’s generally much nicer outside. But lately it’s just bloody freezing everywhere. 32-degree nights; 38-degree days. I’ve become a person who wears a hat all day, every day. Even to bed! Which I thought was rather funny until I remembered the grand tradition of the nightcap.
I’ve always thought earflap hats seemed like overkill in our climate (however cute they may be), so I have shockingly few of them marked anywhere. And yet suddenly they’re all I can think about, so please point me to your favorites!
LEFT: Basic Hats for Everyone, with garter brim and ear flap variation, from Purl Soho
RIGHT: Cozy Ear Flap Hat from the Purl Bee (free pattern)
See also: Carrie Bostick Hoge’s Hats for All from issue 8 (the current issue) of Taproot. The earflap variation wasn’t knitted or photographed in an adult size, apparently, but the pattern covers all variations in all sizes.
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Through the Loop’s Thorpe is a great one, and it’s a free pattern. It’s knit in chunky yarn, so it’s quick, and lots of ways to be creative and mix colors and patterns. I’ve made several.
Yes, Thorpe is a great pattern! I have an earflap hat that my sister bought for me, and it has a fleece lining for the ears. You could add one to your Thorpe to make it even warmer!
I’ve made a couple of Thorpe hats and added lamb ears to them from Pamela Wynne’s Lamb Ears Tutorial. Very cute. (And both patterns are free!) http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lamb-ears-tutorial
Thanks, Thorpe is new to me.
Just was going to mention Thorpe by Kirsten Kapur; it’s a great hat! I also have my eye on Amelia E. By Amy Miller. My little neighbor girl gets hand knits from me all the time. She wants a pink hat with ear thingies. I think Amy’s will be the one for what has been a frigid beginning of winter–wait, is it winter yet?–here in western Maine!
I do really like her Amelia pattern. Although I keep thinking it needs to be chunkier. But that weight in a kids hat would be darling.
I have two great patterns that are worth the money on Ravelry. Amy Miller’s Amelia hat is the cutest trapper hat in worsted weight knit from the top down! So simple. I also love the Helm hat for the uniqueness of the earflap construction with short rows. It knits up beautifully.
I hadn’t seen Helm before — thank you!
My go-to ear flap hat pattern – that km knitting right now for the umpteenth time – is the Top-Down Ear Flap pattern in One More Skein. It’s awesome, easy and fits great! I usually add something to the top – a braid or Pom-Pom. I’m thinking of adding a plaid flannel lining to this years project….my father in-law lives in Buffalo, NY!
Yes- I’m from Buffalo, and I thought I’d make some hats for Christmas. Earflap hats for Buffalonians are a great idea.
I live in Vermont now, and they are a good idea for Vermonters, but my family still lives in the Buffalo area.
Very cute hats!!!
I live in Maine and wear earflap hats all winter! Lisa Mutch’s Edda from Pom Pom 3 and Wooly Wormhead’s Buzzba are my two most worn hats–
Oh, I like that little bit of quirkiness with Edda: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/edda-3
I just cast-on to Loop’s Thorpe last night in Minneapolis after seeing my partner’s ears too ruddy red too many times from a hat that does not cover his ears well. So far so great. The top down design is a new challenge suited the color flow in the Nightfall yarn I am using.
It is dang cold, isn’t it!? I am having a hard time getting any work done at the studio. Maybe I need some earflaps too….
Well, you’ve done it again! My husband wants an earflap hat Very Much. (Its been pretty dang cold here, too.) I’ve been pouring over patterns and was figuring I’d have to make it up from this and that. The blue is perfect! Thanks so much!
Thanks for all the suggestions. Here’s one more. A woman walked in our shop wearing this and it was adorable: Flyer Cap by Cecily Glowik MacDonald. The person had knit it herself and sent me the pattern. When I found out it was in Weekend Hats, I bought the book. Also on Ravelry in Cecily’s pattern shop.
Totally bookmarking this as I was just looking for a hat for my toddler! Great suggestions!
I just discovered your blog and I LOVE IT! I’m going through the archives right now…you have such good taste!
I wore a hat to bed myself last night!
Another free earflap hat pattern which is great especially for men is the 1898 Hat, which is ingenious in design. It is fairly simple to knit and results in a doubled earflap which is warm and snug. I have made about 15 of these for the Christmas at Sea program. My husband and son want one now!…http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/1898-hat
Interesting! I like that.
Cute hats! I’m needing an earflap hat for hiking — 22 degrees tomorrow morning when we head out — eep! Oh, and I’m so glad to know I’m not the only one who occasionally wears a hat — ummm nightcap — to bed 😁!
I love this hat: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/peruvian-cap, though I don’t think the pictures on Ravelry do it justice. It’s a beautiful bit of colorwork, that I am not quite brave enough to wear even though I knitted it years ago. I just take it out, look at it and admire it, and then it ends up back at the bottom of the drawer. (Also, here in Maine we envy you and your balmy 38 degrees!)
Oh, you should wear it!
It is so cold! My handknits are getting good use these days. I also love Michele Wang’s Polar–which I used to have, and then left on bart with no word from lost and found. I keep thinking I will spy someone wearing it one day.
On no! So cute. It would be wild to spot it on someone — you’ll definitely know its yours.
I know! I keep thinking I would march right up and demand it back! But I would like to think someone is really enjoying it.
This one looks snug and warm: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/griflet
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