This “CAP FOR THE HEAD” pattern receipt was published in 1840 by Jane Gaugain in her book The Lady’s Assistant for Executing Useful and Fancy Designs in Knitting, Netting and Crochet Work.Gaugain describes this cap as a “plain band, with ear pieces” adding that the band is “composed of a sort of a twist.”

This adorable cap has it all! It’s worked top down beginning with a seed stitch cuff. The cable stitch of the body makes it INCREDIBLY stretchy and versatile. It has an open crown, making it a “messy bun” or ponytail style cap with EAR FLAPS! Fun! …and these earflaps are amazingly well constructed – they really hug the ears nicely. Since this cap’s gauge is 10 sts to the inch (ouch! – but not really, it goes quickly – I promise!) it is also simple to scale up or down to fit your exact measurements (but again, since it is so stretchy, you don’t need the fit to be perfect).

This modern edition of the pattern has been translated into modern knitting terminology and brought up to date for the contemporary knitter. Finished objects produced using this pattern may be worn by re-enactors looking to wear authentic items that would have been knit in the middle of the 19th Century.