Ribbed Cable Baby Hat

While my lace hat creation is on hold, I decided to use up some yarn in my stash (KnitPicks Shine Sport in "Grass") and designed a fairly simple baby hat using a rib/cable pattern. What I love about this pattern is that it is super stretchy and comfy, and it's easily customizable .... You can simply add extra pattern repeats to make the hat larger for older children or adults.

My apologies for not having a baby to model the finished product at the moment!

Materials:

·        1 Skein of KnitPicks Shine Sport (or sport weight yarn of your choice)

·        Size US 5 (or size  needed to obtain gauge) DPNs or Circular Needle for Magic Loop

·        Cable Needle

·        Stitch Marker (optional)

·        Tapestry Needle

Size:

Pattern is designed to fit babies newborn – 9 months (the rib/cable pattern makes for a very stretchy hat, so it will fit a wide age range). Pattern can also easily be made larger by adding additional pattern repeats: add stitches in increments of 12 stitches in order to maintain the pattern.

Hat measures approximately 14 inches around (unstretched).

Gauge:

7 Stitches = 1 Inch in Stockinette Stitch

Abbreviations:

K – Knit

P - Purl

K2TOG – Knit the next 2 stitches together

C4F – Slip the next 2 stitches to cable needle and hold to front of work. Knit the next 2 stitches, then knit the 2 stitches from the cable needle.

Pattern:

CO 96 Stitches

Cable Pattern:

Rounds 1-6: K4, P2 around

Round 7: K4, P2, C4F, P2 around

These 7 rounds form the cable pattern. Repeat this cable pattern a total of 5 times.

Next, work rounds 1 through 6 of the cable pattern. Round 7 will be your first decrease round. Decrease as follows: K4, P2, slip 2 to cable needle, K2TOG, K2 from cable needle, P2 (88 stitches).

Continue Shaping Crown as Follows:

Round 1: K4, P2, K3, P2 around

2: K4, P2, K1, K2TOG, P2 around (80 stitches)

3: K4, P2, K2, P2 around

4: K4, P2, K2TOG, P2 around (72 stitches)

5: K4, P2, K1, P2 around

6: K4, P1, K2TOG, P2 around (64 stitches)

7: K4, P1, K1, P2 around

8: K4, K2TOG, P2 around (56 stitches)

9: K5, P2 around

10: K3, K2TOG, P2 around (48 stitches)

11: K4, P2 around

12: K2, K2TOG, P2 around (40 stitches)

13: K3, P2 around

14: K1, K2TOG, P2 around (32 stitches)

15: K2TOG, P2 around to the last 2 stitches, K2TOG, P1, K2TOG using the last stitch of the current round and the first stitch of the next round (from now on, your final K2TOG will use the first stitch of the next round). (24 stitches)

16: P1, K2TOG around (16 stitches)

17: K2TOG around (8 stitches)

Cut yarn and weave through remaining 8 stitches. Pull tight to close and weave in end on WS. Weave in any other loose ends.