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Thorpe Earflap Hat. Photo © Kirsten Kapur
Thorpe by Kirsten Kapur is a classic top-down earflap hat knitting pattern designed for children, teens and adults. Worked in cozy bulky-weight yarn, it combines practical winter warmth with plenty of opportunities for color and customization.
Originally published in 2007, Thorpe later received a major update from the designer. The revised pattern now includes five sizes from XS to XL, improved starting instructions, additional colorwork options and video support.
Availability update: Thorpe was previously distributed as a free pattern, which is why this older Amazing Knitting page originally described it as free. The updated edition is now a paid pattern.
The updated Thorpe pattern offers five finished hat circumferences:
Together, these sizes are designed to accommodate actual head circumferences of approximately 17–26.5 inches (43–67 cm).
This broad range makes Thorpe suitable for children, teens and adults rather than limiting the design to one age group.
Thorpe is designed to be worn with approximately 2–3 inches (5–7.5 cm) of negative ease.
In other words, the finished hat should be smaller than the wearer's actual head circumference so that the knitted fabric stretches gently for a secure fit.
Measure around the widest part of the head and choose a finished circumference approximately 2–3 inches smaller.
Thorpe is worked from the top down.
The crown begins first, and the hat expands as you work toward the brim. The earflaps are then incorporated into the lower portion of the design.
Top-down construction is especially useful for a hat because it allows you to see the shape developing as you knit.
The main body of Thorpe is knitted in the round, creating a one-piece hat without a traditional back seam.
If you are new to circular knitting, this project can be a useful way to practice working relatively small circumferences while making a practical winter accessory.
Kirsten Kapur originally published Thorpe in 2007. More than a decade later, she revisited the design and brought the instructions in line with her newer pattern-writing style.
One important change was the beginning of the hat. The designer revised this section to make it easier to work and also created a video tutorial demonstrating the updated start.
The sizing was expanded as well, giving today's pattern a much wider fit range than the earliest version.
Thorpe does not have to be knitted in multiple colors.
A solid version allows the classic earflap shape to take center stage and can be an excellent choice for a beautiful hand-dyed bulky yarn.
If you enjoy colorwork, however, the pattern provides several ways to add stranded motifs.
The updated pattern retains the original solid and all-over colorwork versions and adds two additional options featuring bands of colorwork.
This gives you four broad approaches to the same basic hat:
Changing the yarn colors can make each version look dramatically different.
The pattern calls for bulky-weight yarn, with Malabrigo Chunky listed as the suggested yarn.
The original yarn is 100% merino wool and contains approximately 104 yards per 100 grams.
Bulky yarn helps create a warm fabric while also allowing the hat to progress relatively quickly compared with a fingering-weight winter accessory.
The documented requirement ranges from approximately 90–200 yards (82–183 m).
The exact amount depends on the size and version you choose, particularly if you add colorwork, edging or braided ties.
When substituting yarn, compare yardage and gauge rather than relying only on the number of skeins.
A warm bulky-weight wool or wool blend is a natural choice for an earflap hat designed for cold weather.
For colorwork versions, choose yarns with similar thickness and fiber behavior so that the stranded sections remain even.
Good contrast between colors will also make the motifs easier to see.
The pattern specifies US 9 (5.5 mm) needles.
The documented blocked stockinette gauge is:
15 stitches × 25 rows = 4 inches (10 cm)
Gauge is important for a fitted hat because even a relatively small difference can noticeably change the finished circumference.
Swatch with your chosen yarn and adjust needle size when necessary.
Thorpe includes an optional crochet edging around the lower edge and earflaps.
A 4.5 mm crochet hook is listed for this finishing option.
Using a contrasting color for the edging is an easy way to add another detail without committing to full stranded colorwork.
The updated pattern also provides an alternative for knitters who do not want to crochet the edge.
Instructions are included for a contrasting garter-stitch edging finished with an Icelandic Bind-Off.
This creates another way to personalize the lower edge while keeping the finishing entirely within knitting techniques.
The revised Thorpe pattern uses the Icelandic Bind-Off for the optional garter-stitch edging.
Kirsten Kapur provides a video tutorial for this technique, making it easier to learn if you have never used this bind-off before.
Braids can be added below the earflaps to give Thorpe its classic winter hat appearance.
They are also another opportunity to combine the colors used elsewhere in the hat.
A solid hat with contrasting braids can look just as distinctive as a full colorwork version.
Depending on the version you choose, useful skills include:
The solid version is considerably more approachable than the all-over-colorwork version.
A knitter already comfortable working in the round can use the solid hat to become familiar with top-down construction and earflap shaping.
The colorwork options provide a natural next step if you want to add another skill to the project.
If Thorpe is your first earflap hat, consider beginning with one color.
This lets you concentrate on the unusual top-down construction, shaping and fit without simultaneously managing multiple strands of yarn.
Once you understand the construction, a second Thorpe can be a great opportunity to try one of the stranded versions.
The beginning of Thorpe is unusual enough that Kirsten Kapur created a dedicated video tutorial when she updated the pattern.
Watching the technique before casting on can make the first portion much easier to visualize.
The updated pattern page also links to the designer's tutorial for the Icelandic Bind-Off used in one of the optional finishing methods.
Thorpe is designed as a unisex hat, and its five-size range makes it adaptable to many ages and head sizes.
The character of the finished hat can change dramatically with yarn choice: natural wool shades create a traditional outdoor look, while bright contrasting colors can emphasize the playful stranded motifs.
Thorpe has remained popular because it combines a practical cold-weather shape with a highly customizable design.
You can keep it simple with one color, add an all-over stranded motif, choose one of the newer colorwork bands, add contrasting edging, or finish the earflaps with braids.
The expanded XS–XL sizing also makes the updated version useful when you want to knit similar hats for different members of a family.
Thorpe by Kirsten Kapur is currently available as an updated paid digital knitting pattern.
View the Thorpe Earflap Hat Pattern →
Thorpe was originally published as a free pattern, but the designer's revised edition is currently paid. Pattern availability and pricing may change over time. Amazing Knitting does not reproduce or distribute the designer's copyrighted instructions.
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