Lyon Cabled Hat

Lyon Cabled Hat by Sofia Moussa

What Is Being Made

The Lyon Cabled Hat is a medium adult-sized knitted beanie featuring decorative cable stitch patterns. This downloadable knitting pattern produces a finished hat with a circumference of 17.7 inches (45 cm) when unstretched and a depth of 8.6 inches (22 cm), making it suitable for average adult head sizes.

Yarn and Materials

This project uses worsted weight yarn, with the designer's sample created using 1 skein of Cascade 220 Superwash, which provides approximately 160 meters or 174 yards of yardage. Worsted weight yarn is a medium-thickness yarn that creates a fabric with good drape and durability, making it ideal for everyday wearable hats.

The pattern requires the following needles and notions:

• US 4 (3.5 mm) round needles, 40 cm/16 inches in length
• US 6 (4 mm) round needles, 40 cm/16 inches in length
• US 6 (4 mm) double-pointed needles to serve as a cable needle
• Tapestry needle for weaving in ends
• Stitch marker for tracking pattern repeats

Techniques and Stitches Used

The Lyon Cabled Hat employs cable knitting as its primary decorative technique. Cable stitches are created by temporarily removing stitches from the working needles, holding them on a cable needle, and then knitting the next set of stitches before returning to the held stitches. This creates the characteristic twisted, rope-like texture that defines the hat's visual interest.

The specific cable stitches featured in this pattern include:

• C6F (Cable 6 Front): Slip 3 stitches to the cable needle and hold in front, knit 3 stitches from the main needle, then knit the 3 stitches from the cable needle. This creates a cable that twists toward the front of the fabric.
• C6B (Cable 6 Back): Slip 3 stitches to the cable needle and hold in back, knit 3 stitches from the main needle, then knit the 3 stitches from the cable needle. This creates a cable that twists toward the back of the fabric.

Additional fundamental stitches and abbreviations used throughout the pattern include:

• K (Knit): The basic knit stitch, the foundation of all knitting
• P (Purl): The reverse of the knit stitch, often used to create texture or stockinette stitch when alternated with knits
• K2tog (Knit Two Together): A decrease stitch that combines two stitches into one
• SSK (Slip, Slip, Knit): A left-leaning decrease stitch created by slipping two stitches individually, then inserting the left needle through both slipped stitches and knitting them together
• Sl3 (Slip 3 Stitches): Moving three stitches from one needle to another without knitting them

Difficulty Level and Gauge

This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty, suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to tackle cable work. The gauge specification is 1 pattern repeat measuring 20 stitches by 18 rounds, which equals 2.9 inches by 2.3 inches (7.5 by 6 centimeters). Maintaining proper gauge is essential for achieving the correct finished hat size and ensuring the cable patterns display as intended.

The pattern uses a two-needle technique with size progression, beginning with smaller US 4 needles for the ribbed cuff and transitioning to larger US 6 needles for the main body, allowing for a snug, elastic fit at the brim while accommodating the cable pattern's stitch count in the crown.