I love hats.  Since learning to knit, I've become a collector.  I recently noticed that I have tons of lace hats, tons of beanies, tons of slouches, but not one hat with cables.  Instead of dwelling on it, I decided to fix my problem.  The result is a nice thick hat that is as visually interesting as it is warm.

Eight small cables twist up the body of the hat before tapering off like vines, while larger panels accented with moss stitch weave in and out before opening up to form the bloom covering the top of the hat.  There are no cables in the decrease rows, which take up most of the body of the hat.  The whole thing looks way more complicated than it really is!

By knitting more or fewer of the pattern rows and through the magic of blocking, the hat can be imagined as a snug beanie, a light slouch or a giant tam.  I've added all three to my hat collection, and I'm sure one of these versions could use a place in yours!

SIZE
S[M, L]

To fit head circumference up to 18[20, 24] inches
Each size can be made in three lengths (all shown). All hats shown are size M; model's head circumference is 21 inches.

See Pattern Notes re. hat sizing.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Length of short[medium-length, long] verions: 7.5[8, 9.5] inches

Version 3: Long hat
Cascade 220 [100% wool; 220yd/201m per 100g skein]; color: #2452 Turtle; 1 skein

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]

Notions
1 set US #6/4mm double-point needles
1 16-inch US #4/3.5mm circular needle
1 16-inch US #6/4mm circular needle
Cable needle
Stitch marker
Yarn needle
Waste yarn
Balloon or dinner plate (used for blocking)

GAUGE
21 sts/28 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch using larger needles, after blocking
24 sts/32 rows = 4" in Body Chart pattern using larger needles, after blocking

PATTERN NOTES
[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

The different lengths are achieved by working more or fewer body pattern rows, before beginning crown shaping.

1x1 Rib (Worked in the round over an even number of sts):
All Rounds: [K1, p1] to end.

C4F: Slip 2 sts to cable needle and hold to front of work; k2 from left needle, k2 from cable needle.

C6B: Slip 3 sts to cable needle and hold to back of work; k3 from left needle, k3 from cable needle.

C6F: Slip 3 sts to cable needle and hold to front of work; k3 from left needle, k3 from cable needle.

skp: Sl 1 knitwise, k1, pass slipped st over. 1 st decreased.

Directions for running stitch can be found here.

DIRECTIONS

HAT BODY
Using larger circular needle, work next round for your size as follows:

Size S: *[K1, kfb] five times, kfb, kfb; repeat from * seven times more. 152 sts.

Size M: *[K1, kfb] six times, k1; repeat from * seven times more. 152 sts.

Size L: *[K2, kfb] four times, k1, kfb; repeat from * seven times more. 152 sts.

From this point on, all sizes are worked in the same way.

Work Body Chart, beginning with Round 16 for a short hat, Round 9 for a medium-length hat, or Round 1 for a long hat; all hat lengths end with Round 29.

Chart pattern will be worked 8 times in each round.

CROWN
Work Rounds 1-24 of Crown Chart. 8 sts remain.

Break yarn and draw through remaining sts. Pull tight, then draw yarn through sts again to secure.

FINISHING
Weave in ends and block. The body of this hat grows and achieves its shape through wet blocking. Dinner plates were used for medium-length and long hats shown. The short hat was blocked using an inflated balloon. Both methods work well.

To prevent stretching the ribbed hat band, waste yarn was basted in a running stitch along the round between the ribbed band and the hat body. After the hat was soaked and placed over the blocking form, the waste yarn was cinched, to firmly stretch the cabled hat body. The ribbed band was then pulled vertically by hand and left to dry for a perfect finish.

Amanda Muscha currently lives in Billings, MT with her boyfriend and two degus. She uses knitting to keep sane while working on her BS in Math at MSU Billings.

You can find her on Ravelry as TheStrangeKnitter.