Our Beginner’s Cable Hat puts the capable in cable! A wonderful introduction to knitting’s not-as-fancy-as-it-looks trick, this is a hat for first-timers and other fans of knits with a twist.

Beginner’s Cable Hat | Purl Soho

The big cable secret is really just switching up the stitch order: You slip a stitch or two onto a cable stitch holder, work a stitch or two from the working needle, then knit the original stitches off the holder. That’s it, overlapping stitches that evoke braids, vines… and future fisherman sweaters!

Beginner’s Cable Hat | Purl Soho

Our Super Soft Merino puts it all in high-relief, making it easy to visualize and navigate the twists and turns. You need just one skein for sizes baby through adult small and two skeins for adult large. So take your knitting for a spin and learn the next-level links: charming and forever-fascinating cables!

Beginner’s Cable Hat | Purl Soho

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Adam Aronowitz.

Share your progress + connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoBeginnersCableHat, and #PurlSohoSuperSoftMerino. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Materials

Beginner’s Cable Hat | Purl Soho
  • 1 (1, 1, 1, 2) skeins of Purl Soho’s Super Soft Merino, 100% merino wool. Each skein is approximately 87 yards/100 grams; approximately 46 (58, 65, 79, 87) yards required. We used Eggshell Blue for our Baby hat, Artemisia Green for the Kid one, and Heirloom White for the Adult Small.

NOTE: You may need only one skein for the Adult Large size (it’s close!). If you don’t end up needing the second skein, you can return unwound yarn for a refund within 30 days of purchase, or within 6 months, for store credit. Our Return Policy has all the details!

Gauge

12 stitches and 18 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

Sizes

Baby (Toddler, Kid, Adult Small, Adult Large)

Finished Circumference: 12 (14¾, 16, 18¾, 20) inches

Finished Height (from rolled edge): 6½ (7¼, 8¼, 8¾, 9½) inches

Notes

LC (Left Cross)

Slip next stitch purlwise from left needle to cable stitch holder and hold in front of work, k2 from left needle, k1 from cable stitch holder.

RC (Right Cross)

Slip next 2 stitches purlwise from left needle to cable stitch holder and hold in back of work, k1 from left needle, k2 from cable stitch holder.

Cable Decreases

LCD (Left Cable Decrease)

Slip next stitch purlwise from left needle to cable stitch holder and hold in front of work, knit next 2 stitches on left needle together, k1 from cable stitch holder. [1 stitch decreased]

RCD (Right Cable Decrease)

Slip next 2 stitches purlwise from left needle to cable stitch holder and hold in back of work, k1 from left needle, knit 2 stitches on cable stitch holder together. [1 stitch decreased]

Pattern

Body

Cast 36 (44, 48, 56, 60) stitches onto circular needles. Place unique marker and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.

Knit every round until piece measures 1¼ inch from cast-on edge, unrolled.

Marker Set-Up Round: [K9 (11, 12, 14, 15), place marker] 3 times, knit to end of round.

Cable Round: [RC (see Notes), knit to 4 stitches before next marker, LC (see Notes), k1, slip marker (sm)] 4 times.

Knit 5 (6, 6, 6, 7) rounds even in stockinette stitch.

Repeat Cable Round.

Knit 4 (5, 5, 5, 6) rounds even in stockinette stitch.

Repeat Cable Round.

Knit 3 (4, 4, 4, 5) rounds even in stockinette stitch.

Repeat Cable Round.

Knit 2 (2, 2, 3, 3) rounds even in stockinette stitch.

Repeat Cable Round.

Crown

NOTE: Change to double pointed needles when necessary.

Decrease Round: [RCD (see Notes), knit to 4 stitches before next marker, LCD (see Notes), k1, sm] 4 times. [8 stitches decreased]

Next Round: Knit to end of round.

Repeat last 2 rounds 0 (1, 2, 3, 3) more time(s). [28 (28, 24, 24, 28) stitches remain]

Rapid Decrease Round: *Knit 2 together, repeat from * to end of round. [14 (14, 12, 12, 14) stitches remain]

Repeat Rapid Decrease Round once more. [7 (7, 6, 6, 7) stitches remain]

Cut yarn, leaving a 10-inch tail.

Thread the tail onto a tapestry needle, then thread needle through remaining live stitches twice. Pull tight and bring tail to inside of hat and weave it in.

Weave in remaining end(s) and block as desired.

Beginner’s Cable Hat | Purl Soho
Beginner’s Cable Hat | Purl Soho