November 2007

Like many I’m sure, I didn’t want to admit that Ravelry was going to mean blog neglect. But it is what it is. I’ve been dyeing and spinning and knitting and adding things to the shop, in case you were wondering. 😉 Oh yeah, and getting ready for the holidays. We like to be done with as much as we can before Advent actually begins — I highly recommend it, if you celebrate Christmas and get troubled by the stress of it all.What’s new…merino from HPY:

I spun this for a Christmas gift — who knows if the recipient is lurking, so that’s all I’m gonna say about that. The merino roving from HPY is amazing — you would think it would be hard to work with because it comes to you soooo compacted, but it’s a dream to spin. This hat was made from another colorway:

Ever since I spun the single I had been going back and forth about plying it…I finally did and wow, what a difference. One of my favorite yarns ever.

I’ve knit this from the pattern several times with no issues, and I haven’t heard back from anyone that the pattern is wonky, so I’ll go ahead and post the first version, the six-cable hat. When the eleven-cable (all-over) variation is complete I’ll post it at the end. (The earflaps are the same for both patterns.) The pattern assumes a general knowledge of knitting and cabling abbreviations…if you’d like a full PDF that contains explanations of the increases, decreases, and cabling instructions, click here.

CABLED EARFLAP HAT

SIZE
Infant (6-12 months)
Finished size: 15” diameter
(if you want it slightly bigger I’d recommend my highly technical sizing method of using heavier yarn on bigger needles. 😉 )

MATERIALS NEEDED
Yarn that will knit to gauge — approx. 50g
(shown in Knit Picks Merino Style [six cable hat, purple] and RYC Cashsoft Aran [eleven cable hat, tan — pattern coming soon, I promise])
16”circular needle and one set of DPNs
(size US6 or size to knit to gauge…US8 for the eleven-cable hat is recommended due to the way the cables pull together)
one stitch marker
tapestry needle

GAUGE: 16 stitches = 4” in stockinette stitch

EARFLAPS

CO 6 stitches (on a DPN, if available).
R1: Knit all sts.
R2: K1, M1, K4, M1, K1
R3: K2, P4, K2
R4: K1, M1, P1, K4, P1, M1, K1
R5: K3, P4, K3
R6: K1, P2, C4F, P2, K1
R7: K3, P4, K3
R8: K1, P2, K1, M1, K2, M1, K1, P2, K1
R9: K3, P6, K3
R10: K1, M1, P2, K6, P2, M1, K1
R11: K1, P1, K2, P6, K2, P1, K1
R12: K2, P2, C6F, P2, K2
R13: K1, P1, K2, P6, K2, P1, K1
R14: K1, M1, K1, P2, K6, P2, K1, M1, K1 (16 sts)

Cut yarn, leaving an 8” tail, and leave the flap on its DPN. Repeat for 2nd flap.

VARIATION ONE: SIX-CABLE HAT

Using a cable cast on, CO 12 stitches on the circular needle. Knit the 16 stitches from first ear flap in pattern (knit the knits, purl the purls), then CO 34 stitches. K16 from second ear flap, then CO 14. (Confused? Here is a video that shows what I’m talking about!)

Place marker and join, being careful not to twist stitches, and begin knitting in the round. As you knit around this first row, you’ll notice four gaps, on either side of each ear flap. When you get to those, you will K2tog to close them up. Knit Round 1 as follows:

K6, P2, K3, K2tog, K2, P2,
K6, P2, K1, K2tog, K4
*P2, K6* 3 times,
P2, K3, K2tog, K2, P2,
K6, P2, K1, K2tog, K4, P2, K6, P2.

At the end of the round, you should have 88 stitches on the needles.
Continue knitting in cable pattern as follows:

R2: *K6, P2*
R3: *C6F, P2, K6, P2* to last 8 sts, C6F, P2
R4-8: *K6, P2*
R9: *C6F, P2, K6, P2* to last 8 sts, C6F, P2
R10-14: *K6, P2*
R15: *C6F, P2, K6, P2* to last 8 sts, C6F, P2
R16-20: *K6, P2*
R21: *C6F, P2, K6, P2* to last 8 sts, C6F, P2
R22: *K6, P2*

(begin decrease rows)
R23: *K6, P2, SSK, K2, K2tog, P2* to last 8 sts, K6, P2
R24: *K6, P2, K4, P2* to last 8 sts, K6, P2
R25: *K6, P2, SSK, K2tog, P2* to last 8 sts, K6, P2
R26: *K6, P2, K2, P2* to last 8 sts, K6, P2
R27: *C6F, P2tog, K2, P2tog* to last 8 sts, K6, P2tog
R28: *K6, P1, K2tog, P1* to last 7 sts, K6, P1
R29: *SSK, K2, K2tog, P1, K1, P1* to last 7 sts, SSK, K2, K2tog, P1
R30: *SSK, K2tog, P1, K1, P1* to last 5 sts, SSK, K2tog, P1
R31: *K2tog, SK2P* to last 3 sts, K2tog, P1
R32: K2tog around so that 6 sts remain, then pull yarn through remaining stitches with a tapestry needle. Pull end through to inside of hat, weave in, and trim.

VARIATION TWO: ELEVEN CABLE HAT

R2: *K6, P2*
R3: *C6F, P2, K6, P2* to last 8 sts, C6F, P2
R4-5: *K6, P2*
R6: *K6, P2, C6F, P2* to last 8 sts, K6, P2
R 7-8: *K6, P2*
R9: *C6F, P2, K6, P2* to last 8 sts, C6F, P2
R10-11: *K6, P2*
R12: *K6, P2, C6F, P2* to last 8 sts, K6, P2
R13-14: *K6, P2*
R15: *C6F, P2, K6, P2* to last 8 sts, C6F, P2
R16-17: *K6, P2*
R18: *K6, P2, C6F, P2* to last 8 sts, K6, P2
R19-20: *K6, P2*
R21: *C6F, P2, K6, P2* to last 8 sts, C6F, P2
R22-23: *K6, P2*

(begin decrease rows)

R24: *SSK, K2, K2tog, P2, C6F, P2* to last 8 sts; SSK, K2, K2tog, P2
R25: *K4, P2, K6, P2* to last 6 sts; K4, P2
R26: *K4, P2, SSK, K2, K2tog, P2* to last 6 sts; K4, P2
R27: *C4F, P2, K4, P2* to last 6 sts; C4F, P2
R28: *K4, P2tog*
R29: *SSK, K2tog, P1, K4, P1* to last 5 sts; SSK, K2tog, P1
R30: *K2, P1, SSK, K2tog, P1* to last 3 sts; K2, P1
R31: *K2tog, P1, K2, P1* to last 3 sts; K2tog, P1
R32: *K1, P1, K2tog, P1* to last 2 sts; K1, P1
R33: *SK2P, P1*to last 2 sts; K1, P1
R34: K2tog around so that 6 sts remain, then pull yarn through remaining stitches with a tapestry needle. Pull end through to inside of hat, weave in, and trim.

FINISHING

Weave in all ends. (I like to leave the tails where I ended the earflaps long so that I can use them to tighten up of otherwise correct anything that looks wonky around the earflap join area.)

There are a few ways you can add straps — pick up 3-4 sts and knit in garter stitch or seed stitch until desired length. OR pick up 3-4 stitches and knit i-cord until desired length. OR, thread through three long pieces of yarn and braid the double-strands until desired length, then tie off and trim.

Block and lay flat to dry.

This pattern is and always will be free! If you extra-specially love it and can’t quite find the words to say thanks, you can always give me a dollar. 😉