I love the history of knitting.
It fascinates me that we will never know who created that first stitch, or what those first knitted garments looked like. People were incredibly clever – creating their clothes, their homes, growing food, trading across seas… all without the tools we rely on today.
There are glimpses of that history. A beautifully spun ball of yarn found on a Viking boat. Stitches preserved around a medieval brooch. Little reminders that knitting has always been part of life.
And then there’s the history of the guernsey.
Fishermen’s garments, practical and purposeful, often knitted with patterns that held meaning. Some say they were used for identification. Others say they were symbols of luck and protection at sea.
I like to believe that.
Because at its simplest, someone knitted that garment for someone else. Someone cared enough to make sure they stayed warm, safe, and protected. And maybe that care was the real source of luck.
That’s what led me to the Clew Bay Hat. I’ve been searching for a good 5 ply guernsey wool for years – ever since my supplier stopped making one back in 2012. Some things are worth waiting for, and this one really was.
The Skipper 5 ply Guernsey from Baa Ram Ewe is perfect. A traditional wool that behaves exactly as you want it to – keeping the wind and rain off, regulating temperature, and just feeling right to knit with.
So I started designing. I wanted this hat to have that same balance of simplicity and meaning: you cast on, join in the round… and just knit. Nothing to think about. Just that gentle rhythm of stitches. Then, as you settle into the knitting, the rope cable appears at the crown. A simple cable, traditionally said to represent ropes – symbols of strength and good fortune for fishermen.
If you’ve never knitted in the round, this is a perfect place to start. If you’ve never worked cables, this is a perfect first step. And if you’re an experienced knitter, it’s that perfect combination of relaxing and interesting.
I loved knitting it so much I cast on another immediately.
There is always a reason behind my pattern names.
This one is called the Clew Bay Hat, inspired by Clew Bay in County Mayo, Ireland – home of the famous pirate queen, Gráinne O’Malley.
She was a remarkable figure. A leader, a sailor, a businesswoman, navigating the wild Atlantic with skill and strength. Her ships could carry hundreds, and her knowledge of the sea had to be exact – knowing when to sail, and when not to.
Clew Bay was her home. The place she set out from, and returned to. And that felt like the perfect name for a hat inspired by seafaring history, resilience, and care.
The pattern
The Clew Bay Hat is designed to be simple to knit, relaxing to wear and full of quiet meaning.
Two sizes allow you to choose how you wear it – shorter and fitted, or longer to pull down over your ears.
And whether you believe in the symbolism or not, there’s something comforting in knowing each stitch carries a little intention.
Because knitting is never just about the finished item – it’s about what it gives you along the way.
Buy the Clew Bay Hat kit here: click on this link
Download the pattern here: click on this link