Keep the winter wind at bay with this cozy tree hat in 3 sizes. Enjoy knitting this modern update of a classic pattern stitch: an adaptation of the cabled “Tree of Life” from a “Treasury of Knitting Patterns” by Barbara Walker. She describes it as “a famous old Aran pattern”. The crown of the hat is designed so the treetops won’t be obscured even if you add a huge (totally optional) pom-pom. As a surprising bonus: the crown looks like a snowflake. Pattern includes tutorial for cabling without a cable needle. Matching Towering Trees Cowl pattern also available.

Yarn: Shown in Cascade Eco-Wool, a 2-ply aran weight yarn in color-4801, “Silver Grey”
80-yds/73.5m- 120yds/109m.
Gauge: 4 sts/in, (16 sts/4in, 16 sts/10cm) in pattern, unblocked.
Needles: 16in circular needle and DPNs in size needed to obtain gauge. I used US 7/4.5mm.
For ribbed border: 16in circular 2-3 sizes smaller- I used US size 5/3.75mm.
Notions: 2 colors of stitch markers. 1 in color A and 3(4, 5) in color B.
Sizes: 3 sizes. Child’s 15in/38cm, Adult Small 18.75in/47.5cm, Adult Medium 22.5in/57cm. Unblocked. If using wool, circumference may grow slightly after blocking.
Skills: Cast on, cast off, knit, purl, knit in the round, knit with double-pointed needles, slip sts, SK2P decrease (double decrease), P2tog (decrease), P2tog TBL (decrease), front cross and back cross for cabling without a cable needle: instructions for this technique included in pattern.
Accessibility Notes: All charted sections also written, 12 point serif font with bolded and some underlined headings, no columns (except for abbreviation key).

UPDATE 12/21/17: to correct an error in rnd 2 of the written crown decreases. “P4” has been changed to “P3” in this rnd.