Isabee – Bonnet

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Originally, the Netherlands doesn’t have folk costumes that contain lots of knitted pieces,
such as the Scandinavian countries. Moreover, the folk costumes that were worn earlier in
the Low Countries seem to be disappearing. Only in religious places such as Staphorst or
the tourist place Volendam, folk costumes still seem to have some importance. The
majority of the existing folk costumes have been sent to museums, in contrast with
countries such as Norway, where the most gorgeous local costumes are dusted off annually
to celebrate Constitution Day, amongst others. Such a general fondness for Dutch folk
costumes no longer exists. Sad, really, as Dutch folklore is rich in gorgeous handcrafts,
which deserves way more attention than it currently gets.

This pattern is a wink to this disappearing Dutch folklore. It combines the Nordic knitting
tradition, which has influenced me a lot while living in Scandinavia. The pattern emerged
out of my search for my own heritage, a learning process in the rich history of garments
and costumes, and my interest in knitting which living in Scandinavia has brought me.

This bonnet is not an attempt to resurrect some extinct model. Neither does it try to be
historically correct. This pattern is a synthesis of the so-called “Dutch Bonnet”, which
gained in popularity in the 1940s, including a (very tiny) reference to tulips, Delft blue tiles,
and the only Dutch knitting folklore I know: “Grolse” mittens. The model makes me think
of a so-called “Isabee”: a form of “knipmuts” (hat) that
was worn on workdays. This is also where the name of this pattern comes from.

The gauge may look a little tight at first sight. This is done on purpose to give the bonnet
its firmness and shape. And with it, it warms your ears a little better on a cold winter day.
If you wish to make the bonnet even warmer, you can sew lining into it, in a fabric you
find suitable.

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Materials: Techniques:
Yarn: o Selvedge
o (Merino) wool in 3 colours o Increase: M1L, M1R and KFB
o 185 m per 50 g, with a ‘normal’ gauge o Pick up stitches
of approx. 28 sts x 40 rows o Colour Chart, stranded knitting with
o Approx. 48 gram of colour 1, 31 gram 3 colours
of colour 2, 11 gram of colour 3 o Knit in the round (magic loop)
o German Short Rows
Needles: o Three needle bind off
o Circular needles 2,5 mm or 2,25 mm
(1x > 120 cm or 2x 80 cm), depending
on with which size you obtain the
correct gauge (see below)
o DPNs 2,5 or 2,25 mm, depending on Abbreviations:
with which size you obtain the correct
M1R: Insert left needle, from back to
gauge front, under the stand of yarn
o Circular needles 3,0 mm (cable > 60
between the two stitches - knit
cm) this loop stitch through the front
o Crochet hook 2,5 mm
loop. 1 stitch increased.
M1L: Insert left needle, from front to
Optional: back, under the strand of yarn
o Grosgrain ribbon
between the two stitches - knit
o Any other ribbon/cord
this loop stitch through the back
o Lining
loop. 1 stitch increased.
KFB: Knit into the front and the back of
the stitch. 1 stitch increased.
GSR: German Short Row(s).
Gauge: 3NBO: Hold both pieces of knitting with
right sides together. Insert needle
On 2,25 or 2,5 mm needles: into first stitch on front needle
(Depending on with which you obtain the and first stitch on back needle,
correct gauge): and knit them together. Repeat
o 34 sts x 42 rows in stockinette stitch this for the next stitches on front
(important to match!) and back needles. Draw the first
stitch worked over the second
On 3,0 mm needles: stitch. Repeat until all stitches
o approx. 30 sts x 36 rows in stockinette have been bound off.
stitch (less important to match)

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Before you start:
The entire bonnet (excluding the brim with the colour pattern) is knitted back and forth in
stockinette stitch on circular needles (you need circular needles because of their flexibility.
It will not work well on straight needles). The very first stitch of every back-and-forth row
is a selvedge stitch. This stitch is not knitted at the beginning of the row, but is at the end.
On the right side (knit), you slip the stitch knitwise. Knit the rest of the row (including the
last stitch). On the wrong side (purl), you slip the first stitch purlwise. Purl the rest of the
row (including the last stitch). This makes your edges look neater.

The build-up of the bonnet:

The bonnet is knitted from the neck part to the brim: First, you knit the back part of the
bonnet, back and forth, down up: from the neck to the crown of the head. Then you knit a
‘purl bump’ ridge around the back. Subsequently, you knit the part that covers the head,
shaping the bonnet with a series of German Short Rows. Lastly, you pick up extra stitches
in order to knit the brim in the round. This gives a double knitted layer, which makes
both sides of the foldable brim identical, giving you the opportunity to fold it back or
keeping it standing forward. It can be tricky to work the brim, especially on the first few
rounds when knitting in the round, but once you get going, it will become a lot easier.

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Pattern:

Back: 10. Purl row: purl until 6 stitches left

On 2,5 mm needles and colour 1: on the needle. Make a GSR.
11. Knit row: knit until 8 stitches left
Cast on 30 stitches. on the needle. Make a GSR.
12. Purl row: purl until 8 stitches left
Purl the first row (wrong side). on the needle. Make a GSR.
13. Knit row: knit until 10 stitches left
Increase on the following (right side) row on the needle. Make a GSR.
with 2 stitches, as follows: 14. Purl row: purl until 10 stitches left
o 1st increase: “Slip the edge stitch on the needle. Make a GSR.
knitwise, knit 1 stitch, M1R”. 15. Knit row: knit until 13 stitches left
o 2nd increase: “Knit until 2 stitches on the needle. Make a GSR.
left, M1L, knit the 2 last stitches.”. 16. Purl row: purl until 13 stitches left
on the needle. Make a GSR.
Increase the same way 5 times more, 17. Knit row: knit until 16 stitches left
every 4th needle, until you have a total of on the needle. Make a GSR.
42 stitches. 18. Purl row: purl until 16 stitches left
= 6 rows with increases spread out over 21 on the needle. Make a GSR.
rows in total = 12 stitches increased = 42
stitches You now have the right side faced
towards you. Knit the rest of the row.
Knit stockinette stitch, back and forth, Make sure to knit all the German Short
until your work is 12,5 cm / 5” long. Rows as one stitch.

Now you will start shaping the crown Purl one row.
with help of German Short Rows:
Leave the stitches on the cable.
1. Knit row: knit until 1 stitch left on
the needle. Make a GSR.
2. Purl row: purl until 1 stitch left on Ridge around back:
the needle. Make a GSR.
3. Knit row: knit until 2 stitches left With 2,25 or 2,5 mm needles, depending on
on the needle. Make a GSR. which one you hit the correct gauge with:
4. Purl row: purl until 2 stitches left
on the needle. Make a GSR. Pick up stitches across the sides of the
5. Knit row: knit until 3 stitches left back, on the right side of your work.
on the needle. Make a GSR. Pick up 5 stitches every 6 rows, 42
6. Purl row: purl until 3 stitches left stitches per side.
on the needle. Make a GSR. Including the stitches that were left on
7. Knit row: knit until 4 stitches left the cable, you will have 126 stitches.
on the needle. Make a GSR. = 84 stitches picked up = 126 stitches in
8. Purl row: purl until 4 stitches left total
on the needle. Make a GSR.
9. Knit row: knit until 6 stitches left Switch to colour 2.
on the needle. Make a GSR. With the right side faced towards you:
start in the right bottom corner.

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 stitches on your working needle.
st
1 row (right side): set up row. Knit all See picture:
stitches.

This is what it will look like when you are

done knitting the stitches together:

(your work now looks approximately like

this)

2nd row (wrong side): Knit all stitches (so

the purl side shows on the right side of
the work)
3rd row (right side): Purl all stitches
4th row (wrong side): Knit all stitches
5th row (right side): Purl all stitches
6th row (wrong side): Knit all stitches
7th row (right side): Purl all stitches
8th row (wrong side): Knit all stitches

In the next row (right side), you knit your

stitches onto the back of your bonnet. Do
this by knitting the stitch together with
stitches on the back of the bonnet. Pick
up stitches in the purl loops from the
back’s first row, and use these stitches to
knit together with the

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Head: 12. Knit row: knit until 22 stitches left
on the needle. Make a GSR.
With 3,0 mm needles:
13. Purl row: knit until 26 stitches left
on the needle. Make a GSR.
Switch back to colour 1. 14. Knit row: knit until 26 stitches left
on the needle. Make a GSR.
Start again in the right bottom corner,
15. Purl row: knit until 30 stitches left
with the right side of the work facing
on the needle. Make a GSR.
towards you.
16. Knit row: knit until 30 stitches left
on the needle. Make a GSR.
Knit the 1st row. On this row, which has 17. Purl row: knit until 34 stitches left
126 stitches, you increase with 26 stitches, on the needle. Make a GSR.
evenly spread over the needle (increase 2 18. Knit row: knit until 34 stitches left
times after 4 stitches, 22 times after 5 on the needle. Make a GSR.
stitches and twice after 4 stitches again). 19. Purl row: knit until 38 stitches left
Increase with the knit front back (KFB) on the needle. Make a GSR.
technique. 20. Knit row: knit until 38 stitches left
= 26 stitches increased = 152 stitches in on the needle. Make a GSR.
total. 21. Purl row: knit until 42 stitches left
on the needle. Make a GSR.
Knit back and forth in stockinette stitch 22. Knit row: knit until 42 stitches left
until your work measures 10 cm from the on the needle. Make a GSR.
back’s ridge (that one you knitted in 23. Purl row: knit until 46 stitches left
colour 2). on the needle. Make a GSR.
End with a knit row. 24. Knit row: knit until 46 stitches left
on the needle. Make a GSR.
The bonnet will be shaped again with 25. Purl row: knit until 50 stitches left
German Short Rows: on the needle. Make a GSR.
1. Purl row: purl until 2 stitches left 26. Knit row: knit until 50 stitches left
on the needle. Make a GSR. on the needle. Make a GSR.
2. Knit row: knit until 2 stitches left 27. Purl row: knit until 54 stitches left
on the needle. Make a GSR. on the needle. Make a GSR.
3. Purl row: knit until 6 stitches left 28. Knit row: knit until 54 stitches left
on the needle. Make a GSR. on the needle. Make a GSR.
4. Knit row: knit until 6 stitches left
on the needle. Make a GSR. You now have the wrong side faced
5. Purl row: knit until 10 stitches left towards you. Purl the rest of the row.
on the needle. Make a GSR. Make sure to work all the German Short
6. Knit row: knit until 10 stitches left Row stitches as one stitch.
on the needle. Make a GSR.
7. Purl row: knit until 14 stitches left
on the needle. Make a GSR.
8. Knit row: knit until 14 stitches left Brim:
on the needle. Make a GSR. With 2,25 or 2,5 mm needles and colour 1:
9. Purl row: knit until 18 stitches left
on the needle. Make a GSR. Right side row: Knit 1 row.
10. Knit row: knit until 18 stitches left
on the needle. Make a GSR. Wrong side row: Knit 1 row (not purling!)
11. Purl row: knit until 22 stitches left (= set-up row A).
on the needle. Make a GSR.

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Right side row: Purl 1 row (not knitting!) Now you will start knitting the colour
(= set-up row B). chart (see below).

Pick up 152 stitches in the purl loops The brim has 8 chart repeats on every
from ‘setup row A’. This amount is equal side, 16 repeats in total.
to the amount of stitches you already had.
You are thus doubling your amount of Make sure to pull the yarn firmly when
stitches. switching the magic loop (when knitting
= 152 stitches picked up = 304 stitches in with one pair of circular needles) or
total (152 from the head part + 152 new). switching needles (when knitting with
two pairs of circular needles). This is to
prevent the sides from becoming too
Info: loose and sloppy.
From here on, you knit in the round over
these 304 stitches. Use 1 pair circular needles Knit 1 row after you have finished the
with a long cable (such as 120 cm) or two colour chart.
shorter pairs of circular needles (such as 2
Before you close the brim, make sure to
times 80 cm). In case you knit with a long
tie a knot in all loose ends, to make sure
cable: use the magic loop technique. Knitting
that they do not come loose. The ends
in the round on one cable without magic loop
can be weaved in, but this is not strictly
will not work, as the work is too stiff. The
necessary, as they will be hidden on the
two layers of the brim will be laying flat on
inside of the brim anyway.
each other.
Close the brim with 3NBO.
Knit 1 row over all stitches (304 stitches).

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Finish:
Finish the bonnet by crocheting a row of
slipstitches across the sides of the
bonnet, and by attaching cords.

Crochet slip stitch:

With a 2,5 mm crochet hook, crochet one
row of slipstitches across the sides of the
bonnet. Do not crochet on the brim.
Crochet as many slipstitches as you
consider necessary in order to make the
bonnet a little tighter and firmer across
the sides. This will also prevent the back
from curling up, and it will make the
bonnet fit around the head more firmly.
One of my testers has knitted an i-cord
finish around the edges, which gave a
very nice finish too, in case preferred.

Cords:
Choose either: (A) ‘pull’ or (B) ‘fixed’
cords’. The possibilities are endless:
choose some beautiful ribbon, or make
an i-cord yourself (which can either be a
pull cord or a fixed cord) in a colour you
like.
You can even make pompoms or tassels.
The choice is yours!

(A) Pull cords:

Sew (grosgrain) ribbon on the inside of
the bonnet, across the sides, to make a
tunnel.
Pull the cord (i-cord, ribbon or any other
cord you fancy) through the tunnel. This
way, you can pull the chord to make the
bonnet fit tightly around the head. Tie
under the chin.

(B) Fixed cords:

Pick up 3 or 4 stitches (depending on
your wishes) next to the brim on the 2,5
mm DPNs. Knit i-cord over these stitches
in a colour you like. Do the same on the
other side of the brim. Make the i-cords
as long as necessary to make a tie under
the chin.

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