This International Women’s Day we are celebrating women who work in, for and with the natural world. My starting point for this exploration was the discovery on the Forestry England website of an article from 2021 about women working in forestry in various capacities and also another blog article, ‘10 powerful women in nature’, that shares the stories of women whose work has helped nature and/or provided an entry point for others to explore the natural world.

From there it was only a short step to deciding that I wanted this year’s IWD pattern to celebrate and support women in nature and so my Hepburn Hat was born! I have chosen a simple colour work tree motif to represent the landscape of Hepburn Wood near my home in Northumberland.

£2 from the sale of this pattern will support the UK charity Refuge and the International charity ACWW who work to support rural women around the world.

To make this hat you will need DK yarn in 2 colours (samples shown in the aptly named Baa Ram Ewe
Woodnote DK: 204m per 100g skein)

• To make the hat with a contrast ribbing you will need
MC for body and crown of hat: approx. 70m (75m, 80m)
CC for ribbing and trees: approx 120m (125m, 130m)

• To make the hat with ribbing and body in the same colour you will need:
MC for ribbing, body and crown of hat: approx. 160m (165m, 170m)
CC for trees: approx 30m (35m, 40m)

You will also need:
• 3.5mm and 4.0mm circular needles x 40cm in length, plus either 4.0mm DPNs to work the crown or a 4.0mm x 80cm circular if you prefer to work the crown using the magic loop method.
• 1 stitch marker
• Tapestry needle to weave in ends.

Tension:
26 sts and 28 rows to 10cm using a 4.0mm needle in stranded colourwork after blocking.

Sizes available: Small (Medium, Large)
Finished circumference approx: S = 46cm (M = 50.5cm, L = 54cm).
Please note hat will stretch to fit: older child/small adult (medium adult, large adult) head.