Cabled Band Hat in Cascade Yarns 128 Superwash - C192 - Downloadable PDF

Cabled Band Hat in Cascade Yarns 128 Superwash – Pattern Summary (C192)

Designed by Betty Balcomb and published by Cascade Yarns, the Cabled Band Hat (pattern code C192) is a free, downloadable PDF knitting pattern for a cozy, cable-accented beanie. This intermediate-level project combines a richly textured braided cable band with a straightforward circular-knit hat body, making it an excellent choice for knitters who are comfortable with basic cable techniques and ready to create something visually impressive in a short amount of time.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a warm, close-fitting knitted hat featuring a prominent cabled band that wraps around the brim. The cable band is worked flat in rows and then used as the foundation from which the rest of the hat is built. The result is a soft, cuddly, and toasty warm accessory that looks far more complex than the time it takes to complete.

Materials Required

• Yarn: 1 skein (100 grams) of Cascade 128 Superwash yarn. The pictured sample uses color #867. This yarn is a chunky-weight, machine-washable wool, prized for its exceptional softness, warmth, and easy care.
• Needles: US size 10 needles (any type) for working the cable band; US size 10-1/2 in both a 16-inch circular and double-pointed needles (DPNs) for the body and crown of the hat — or the size needed to achieve gauge.
• Cable needle for executing the cable crossings.

Gauge

Gauge is 7 stitches and 11 rows to 2 inches in stockinette stitch on US size 10-1/2 needles. As always with hat knitting, checking gauge before beginning is strongly recommended to ensure a proper fit.

Techniques Used

• Flat knitting – The cable band is worked back and forth in rows before the hat transitions to working in the round.
• Circular knitting – The body of the hat is worked on a 16-inch circular needle, a common and efficient technique for seamless hat construction.
• Double-pointed needles (DPNs) – Used to work the crown decreases as the stitch count becomes too small for the circular needle.
• Cable knitting – The defining technique of this pattern. Three distinct cable crossings are used to create a braided effect in the band.
• Crown shaping and decreases – Standard hat finishing worked in the round to taper the top of the hat.

Stitches and Cable Techniques Used

• Stockinette stitch – Used throughout the hat body; forms the gauge swatch reference.
• Knit and purl combinations – The cable band rows alternate knit and purl stitches to frame the central cable panel with clean column edges.
• C4F (Cable 4 Front) – Slip 2 stitches to the cable needle and hold in front, knit 2, then knit the held stitches. Creates a left-leaning cable cross.
• C4B (Cable 4 Back) – Slip 2 stitches to the cable needle and hold in back, knit 2, then knit the held stitches. Creates a right-leaning cable cross.
• C8B (Cable 8 Back) – A larger crossing worked over 8 stitches, holding 4 stitches to the back. This creates the bold braided twist that gives the band its striking, intricate appearance.

Cable Band Construction

The cable band is worked over 14 cast-on stitches using the smaller US size 10 needles. Wrong-side rows are consistently worked as P2, K1, P8, K1, P2, establishing the ribbed border columns that frame the central 8-stitch cable panel. Cable crossings occur on specific right-side rows — C4F and C