Cabled Band Hat

Hey, these are just the pattern notes from a hat I made. I'll edit them later and maybe work them out into an actual pattern, but for now it's just my personal notes as I made the hat.





CO 13 with worsted weight yarn and size 5 needles, or whatever works to get the size you want. With size 5 and worsted weight it should fit a medium-largish head or so.
Band:
Row 1: P2, K9, P2
Row 2: P2, P9, P2
Row 3: P2, Right cross: slip 3 sts to cable needle, hold in back, k3 then k3 from the cable needle, k3, P2
Row 4: P2, P9, P2
Row 5: P2, K9, P2
Row 6: P2, P9, P2
Row 7: P2, K3, Left cross: slip 3
sts to cable needle, hold in front then k3 from
cable needle, p2
Row 8: P2, P9, P2

repeat these 8 rows until band is as long as needed (for me this was 24").
Then I put the right sides of the band together and used a three-needle bind-off to join it in a circle.

Then I picked up 105 on one side of the cable band, and knit around for about 3".

decrease:
R1: k13, k2tog (98)
R2: knit 1
R3: K12, k2tog (91)
R4: knit 1
R5: K11, k2tog (84)
R6: knit 1
R7: K10, k2tog (77)
R8: knit 1
R9: K9, k2tog (70)
R10: knit 1
R11: k8, k2tog (63)
R12: knit 1
R13: k7, k2tog (56)
R14: knit 1
R15: k6, k2tog (49)
R16: knit 1
R17: k5, k2tog (42)
R18: knit 1
R19: k4, k2tog (35)
R20: knit 1
R21: k3, k2tog (28)
R22: knit 1
R23: k2, k2tog (21)
R24: knit 1
R25: K1, k2tog (14)
R26: k2tog (7)
Run yarn through and draw together.

Then I picked up 105 stitches on the other side of the cable band and knit around for 4 or so rows. Then I CO 12 stitches on one side of the seam in the back, knit 20 stitches (21 counting the stitch left over from CO) and then CO until I got to 33 stitches from the seam. Then I knit for another 20 stitches, then CO for the last 13. This left 21 live stitches for each earflap.

Earflaps:
R1: p1
R2: slip 1 knitwise, k to end
R3: slip 1 knitwise, p to end

Repeat rows 2 and 3 until earflap measures (from cabled band) 1.6" or so.

Decrease for earflaps:
R1: slip 1 knitwise, ssk, k to last 3, k2tog, k1
R2: slip 1 knitwise, p to end

Repeat these rows until 9 stitches left, then bind off.

To finish the hat I crochet a border around, using half-crochet every other knit stitch. Then I attached braids of 10" or so, made with 6 strands of yarn folded over and drawn through the earflap to secure it, leaving 12 strands to braid with. I also added a pom pom to the top.

That's it! It took an entire skein of Berroco vintage yarn--about 217 yards--and probably -8 hours of so or time. It was a pretty quick knit for me, and I'm not the fastest knitter out there.

As I said, I might make another and actually hat. I think this might look pretty cool with a contrast crochet border and pom pom, so maybe for next time? I certainly have more Christmas presents to make. :)