Pattern of the Month

Instructions

With No. 5 (5½mm) needles cast on 11 stitches, and work in cable pattern as follows:
[Editor's note: I cast on with waste wool, so I could remove it later and graft the ends of the band together.]

1st row: (wrong side) K3, p6, k2.
2nd row: P2, k6, p1, k2.
Repeat 1st and second rows twice more, then the 1st row again.

8th row: (right side facing) P2, cable 6 (slip the first 3 sts onto a cable needle and leave at the front of the work; k3, then k3 from cable needle); p1, k2.

9th - 14th rows: Repeat 1st and second rows 3 times.

Repeat 1st - 14th rows 8 times more (9 patterns in all) ending with row 13. Graft the sts to the cast-on edge to form a circular band, [or cast off the 11 sts and sew the cast-on to the cast-off edge].

[Editor's note: If you want to alter the size (circumference) of your hat, now is the time to do it. Lengthen or shorten this band to the circumference you want to achieve. See "altering the size" below.]

One edge of the band has a neat "finished" garter st edging and the other has a reverse stocking stitch edge, which you will use to continue knitting the hat in the round.
Change to number 6 (5mm) circular needle and, with right side of work facing, pick up 92 sts evenly around the reverse stocking stitch edge.

Work in rounds of k2, p2 rib for 5 inches (about 28) rows.

Shape Crown as follows:

1st round: *K2tog, p2. Repeat from * to end of round.
2nd round: *K1, p2. Repeat from * to end of round.

Repeat rounds 2 five times more.

8th round: *K1, p2tog. Repeat from * to end of round.
9th round: *slip1, k2tog, pass the slipped st over; p1. Repeat from * to end of round.

Break yarn, thread through remaining sts; draw up and fasten off securely.

Making up:
Sew in all ends.

Changing the hat size, or substituting the wool.

You may want to alter the size (circumference) of your hat, or compensate for a different gauge.

This pattern relies on making an even number of cables around the hat, so to lengthen or shorten the band, you can either add in whole or partial pattern repeats, or, if you feel up to it, you could alter the number of rows in the pattern repeat of the cable.

Test your gauge before you start and work out how many rows you need to make your chosen head circumference size. Start by dividing the number of rows you calculate by 14, and then try some other numbers, eg 12, 16, 13, or 15, until you are close to getting an exact number of patterns. [Note that if you choose to work to an uneven number of rows in the repeat, then you will end up doing your cable operations on purl rows, which is quite feasible, but approach with caution if your are a beginner in this field!]

If the above all sounds hopeless to you, then just knit until the band is the length you require, and just sew the ends of the band together rather than trying to graft it. You could even work the hat on two needles instead of in the round, by picking up the stitches from the band before you sew it up, - and then, when you have finished, you sew a side seam into the hat, including the band.

Finally if you are altering the size, or compensating for a different gauge, you will probably need to pick up a different number of stitches from the band. I usually pick up a number of stitches equal to three quarters of the number of rows I have knitted.
Example: I knitted 9 pattern repeats of 14 rows which equals 126 rows in total. Then 126*3/4 = 94.5.
For this hat, you need the number of stitches picked up to be divisible by 4, and I chose to pick up 92sts. I could equally have chosen 96.

Materials

Example shown is knitted in 2x 50g balls of vintage Richard Poppleton Emmerdale Chunky Tweed (an acrylic and wool blend).

Two size 5 (5½mm) needles and a size 6 (5mm) circular needle - short length suitable for a hat.

Tension

Approx. 9st to 2 inches on No 6 needles.

Size matters

This hat worked out to about 22 inches head circumference. My estimate is that "to fit an average sized head" means 22/23 inches for a man's size and 20-22 inches for a woman's size.
See "altering the size" below.

A word on the wool.

Original pattern called for Patons Double plus, which was a double knitting wool, and the instructions were to knit the yarn double, producing a tension of 7.5sts and 10 rows to 2 inches.
The hat was "unisex" but shown modelled on a woman.
I have compensated for changing the wool, and made the hat slightly larger - my own version is printed here, not the original.
The original instructions were to knit 8 pattern repeats for the band, and to pick up 86 sts for the hat, which was not knitted in the round.

Disclaimer
(well...almost)

In transposing any pattern it is always a risk that errors will be introduced, in spite of dedicated proof reading.
If you have any problems with this pattern, please and I will try and assist.