The Sophisticated Knit Ear Warmer comes in both child and adult sizes and makes a wonderful gift for that special person on your list!

Design Story and Inspiration for the Sophisticated Plaid Knit Ear Warmer

Lately I’ve been really obsessed with color work patterns. My ultimate goal is to knit and crochet color work sweaters, and these smaller projects are great practice for those skills!

I love working from a chart and seeing the design come to life. I wanted something for this pattern that would be unisex and could be done in child or adult sizes.

This simple plaid is just an 8 st by 8 row repeat, so it’s easy to memorize and then you can just sail along. The child sized one I made for my son was only one and a half pattern repeats (so only 12 rounds!), not including the small ribbing on each side.

If you don’t feel up to color work just yet, this works out really well in just one color, too! Simply work the chart rows even in Stockinette st. You can work it on dpn’s, one or two circular needles, or even flat with a seam! (I like the magic loop method, so that’s what I used for the sample).

About the Yarn

I picked up this Patons Classic Wool at my local JoAnn store. I wanted particular colors for a fair isle hat I was planning so I could practice my color work skills.

Needless to say, I had plenty of yarn left over, and now that I had gauge and knew how well it worked up with colors, I just had to work up some other projects.

So, with four skeins of yarn, so far I’ve created 2 adult sized hats, an adult sized ear warmer and a child sized ear warmer, and I still have yarn left to go!

I’ve always loved the Classic Wool and if you are looking for a good quality wool yarn that’s affordable, look no farther.

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Knit Ear Warmer Pattern Details

This project is written to be worked in the round. If you choose to work it flat, make sure to add a stitch to each side as a selvedge stitch (which will form the seam), and work that stitch in Stockinette and the same color as the first st, whether in the ribbing or the chart.

Remember, if working in the round you will read each row of the chart from right to left, but if working flat, you will go back and forth reading the chart.

The color changes frequently enough that you can just carry the strand behind the work and not worry about catching the unused strand or holes in your work.

Sophisticated Plaid Knit Ear Warmer

What You’ll Need

Yarn: Patons Classic Wool, 1 skein each Navy (A) and Blue Fog (B)

Needles: US Size 6 (4.00mm) and 8 (5.00mm) Can use dpn’s or circulars. **See pattern details for working this project flat.

Notions: Yarn needle, scissors

Gauge: 26 sts and 32 rows = 4″ in Stockinette st with larger needles

Finished Size: Approximately 16″ (20″) to fit average child (adult) head. Headband has a good amount of stretch.

Knit Ear Warmer Pattern Notes
Ribbing is worked in k2p2 rib.
Body of the ear warmer is worked in Stockinette st.

Sophisticated Plaid Knit Ear Warmer Pattern

Ribbing

With A and smaller needles, cast on 104 (128) sts.

Work in k2p2 rib for 3 rounds.

Change to larger needles and St st.

Body

Work in chart for 12 (16) rounds, or until desired width.

Ribbing

Change to smaller needles and A.

Work in k2p2 rib for 3 rounds.

Fasten off in k2p2 rib.

Finishing

Block using the wet block method if needed. My wool needed a bit of blocking to lie flat.

Weave in ends.

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That’s it! Today we learned to how work the Sophisticated Plaid Knit Ear Warmer. I hope you try your hand at some color work and whip up some of these as gifts.

Happy Knitting!
Amanda