Questions about the pattern? Need help with the instructions? PM me here on Ravelry, or email me at woolybearhandknits@yahoo.com.

Picture yourself hiking along a rocky cliff on the Aran Island of Inishmore, while wearing this Irish cap. We visited Inishmore with our guide Patrick, who showed us the beauty of the island in a horse drawn carriage, pulled by his mare Molly Malone.

NEW - now included for download is a 21 page, 84 color photograph notated tutorial for knitting the Inishmore Cap.

If you already own the felted version of this hat, and would like the directions to change it to the non-felted version, send me a message and I’ll send them to you. Or, if you own this version and would like the felted version, let me know.

This cap is similar to my Donegal Cap, but is done in stockinette instead of Moss stitch.
This is a pretty challenging pattern, written for experienced knitters. I have revised the pattern to answer questions from knitters, so I think the instructions are clearer now than they were for the first downloads. You will be using wraps-and-turns to do a lot of the architectural shaping.

The brim’s structural integrity comes from the recommended cast on, the tight gauge, shaping, and leaving the wraps in place unless otherwise specified.

Putting the Inishmore Cap on your head: (I know, it’s funny to have instructions for this) With the back of the hat facing your, grip the two brims together, holding them in your hands like a sandwich you’re about to bite. Now, put the brims on your forehead, where you’d like them, hold with one hand, and with the other hand pull the back gently down. It does not go far down on the back of your head. I’m putting this here because when I handed the hat to a friend, she put the back on first, pulling it down low, and then the brims separated on the front, looking like an open duck beak - funny, but not attractive! Alternatively, you could sew the brims together if you want. I like having them loosely resting together.

Note: When instructions appear in brackets followed by the words n times, it means to follow the bracketed instructions that many times. For example: K1, P1 3 times means: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1.