Big Waves Beanie

Big Waves Beanie by Lizzy Knits

What Is Being Made

The Big Waves Beanie is a knitted hat designed by Lizzy Knits as a follow-up to their original bulky weight waves beanie pattern. This super bulky weight cabled beanie is engineered as a quick project that works up rapidly while remaining accessible to knitters learning cable techniques. The finished hat measures 9.5–10 inches (24–25 centimeters) unstretched, making it a standard adult-sized beanie suitable for cold-weather wear.

Techniques and Stitches Used

The Big Waves Beanie employs cable knitting as its primary textural technique. The pattern features left-leaning cable crosses exclusively, which are strategically staggered throughout the design to create a distinctive waves effect across the fabric surface. This approach makes the pattern particularly beginner-friendly for anyone new to cable knitting, as it simplifies the learning curve by using only one cable direction rather than mixing left and right crosses.

The base fabric is worked in stockinette stitch, which provides a smooth background that allows the cable texture to stand out prominently. The pattern includes instructions in both written format and chart form, accommodating different learning preferences and allowing knitters to choose their preferred method of following instructions.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The Big Waves Beanie requires approximately 62 yards (144 grams/56 meters) of super chunky weight yarn. The designer used The Wool from We Are Knitters for the original pattern sample. Alternative yarn options include Malabrigo Rasta, which is also suitable for this weight category.

Needles and notions required include:

• US 13 (9.0mm) 16-inch (40-centimeter) circular needles
• US 15 (10.0mm) 16-inch (40-centimeter) circular needles
• US 15 (10.0mm) double-pointed needles for finishing the crown
• Cable needle for executing cable crosses
• Place marker for tracking stitch positions
• Tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends

Gauge and Difficulty Level

The pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty, making it suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to expand their technical abilities. Using US 15 (10.0mm) needles, the gauge is 9 stitches and 12 rows per 4 inches (10 centimeters) in stockinette stitch, measured unblocked. This relatively loose gauge is typical of super bulky weight projects and contributes to the quick construction time.