Three of my closest friends have their birthdays within a month of each other and so last year I decided to knit them all hats for their birthday. I ended up designing 3 different cabled hats but all using the same base pattern just incorporating different cables in each one. I thought this would be a fun idea to play with and wrote up the pattern so you can pick and choose how to knit it each time.

You first have a choice of 6 sizes from Baby to Adult Large, then you can choose between a regular or folded brim option, and finally you have 3 different cable patterns to choose from for the body of the hat. Thats 36 different ways you can knit up this one pattern!

What you will need:

Yarn – 100gm DK weight Yarn (approx. 210m/230 yds); Yarn used in sample – Lavender Lune Yarn Co, in the 100% Non-Superwash BFL DK in the Cognac, Fern & Heliotrope colourways (225m/246yd per 100gm)

Cognac - Yellow - used for the Braided version
Fern - Green - used for the Asymmetric version
Heliotrope - Purple - used for the Big & Small version

Needles –4mm (US6) and 5mm (US8) 16” circular for knitting in the round or a longer cable for magic loop(this is more likely needed for the smaller sizes), and double pointed needles (DPNs) or magic loop in larger size for working the crown decreases.

Notions

• 1 Stitch Marker, for marking the beginning of the round, plus additional markers for crown decreases.
• Row counter to keep track of pattern repeats.
• A tapestry needle for weaving in ends.
• Cable Needle – Optional – the cables can be worked without a cable needle if you are comfortable with that method.

Gauge – Approximately 20 sts/ 4 inch in blocked K2, P2 ribbing in the round using smaller needles.

Size – The pattern is sized for all the family as follows:

• Baby – to fit a head approx. 38cm/15 in
• Toddler - to fit a head approx. 43cm/17 in
• Child - to fit a head approx. 48cm/19 in
• Adult S - to fit a head approx. 53cm/21 in
• Adult M - to fit a head approx. 58cm/23 in
• Adult L – to fit a head approx. 61cm/24 in