Voleur

Voleur Hat by Beth Kling

What is Being Made

Voleur is a slightly slouchy, seriously cabled knit hat designed by Beth Kling. This downloadable PDF pattern creates a structured yet relaxed-fitting hat that showcases intricate cable work as its primary design feature. The hat is suitable for advanced knitters seeking a project with substantial technical depth and visual impact.

Craft and Techniques

This is a knitting project worked primarily in the knit craft. The pattern employs a provisional cast-on technique, which allows for seamless finishing and is executed using a crochet hook. The hat is knit flat initially on circular needles before transitioning to double-pointed needles for the crown decreases. The use of a provisional cast-on indicates that the designer has incorporated a sophisticated finishing method, likely involving grafting or a similar technique to create a polished edge.

The gauge is notably firm at 7 stitches and 9 rows to the inch when worked on 3mm needles in stockinette stitch unblocked. This tight gauge creates an exceptionally dense, durable fabric. Advanced knitters may adjust needle size to achieve a looser, more slouchy fabric if desired, though this will affect the final dimensions and drape of the hat.

Stitches Used

The pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches including knit (k) and purl (p) stitches. The primary design element is cable work, which requires the use of a cable needle or spare double-pointed needle to create the twisted, rope-like texture that defines the hat's aesthetic. The stockinette stitch base provides contrast and structure for the cable motifs.

Materials and Needles

The pattern calls for approximately 350 yards of fingering to light sport weight yarn. The sample shown was knit using Sanguine Gryphon Bugga! in the Cowkiller colorway, demonstrating how the cable pattern displays beautifully in a single-color yarn.

Required needles and tools include:

• 16-inch circular needles in US size 1 (2.25mm) for the initial cast-on
• 16-inch circular needles in US size 2.5 (3mm) for the body of the hat
• 1 set of 5 double-pointed needles (DPNs) in US size 2.5 (3mm) for working the crown decreases
• Cable needle or spare DPN for executing cable crosses
• Crochet hook, size G (4.25mm) for the provisional cast-on
• Smooth scrap yarn approximately the same weight as the working yarn, used for the provisional cast-on
• Stitch marker (optional) for tracking pattern repeats

The combination of multiple needle sizes reflects the pattern's construction method, with smaller needles used for the initial cast-on edge and slightly larger needles for the body to accommodate the cable texture without excessive tightness.