Cabled Toddler Hat Knitting Pattern

Put your cable stitch knitting skills to the test with the Cabled Toddler Hat Knitting Pattern. This adorable cable stitch hat comes with a pompom on the top and tassels on the sides that your toddler is sure to love. Buying hats every year to accommodate your ever-growing child can be a hassle. There's no need to worry about that with these free knit hat patterns. The cabled toddler hat stretches to fit a range of sizes, so your little one will be wearing it for years to come.

Intermediate

Knitting Needle Size15 or 10 mm, Circular Knitting Needles, Double-Pointed Knitting Needles (DPNs)

Yarn Weight(4) Medium Weight/Worsted Weight and Aran (16-20 stitches to 4 inches)

Gauge12 sts = 4” (10 cm); 18 rounds = 4” (10 cm) in cable and checkerboard pattern of hat. CHECK YOUR GAUGE. Use any size needles to obtain the gauge.

Finished SizeHat measures 16” (40.5 cm) circumference, will stretch to fit a range of sizes.

Materials List

RED HEART® Soft®: 2 balls 9388 Wheat (available in 5 oz (141 g), 256 yd (234 m) balls)
Susan Bates® Knitting Needles: 10 mm [US 15] 16” (40 cm) circular needle, and 10 mm [US 15] double pointed needles
Stitch holder
Cable needle
Pompom maker
Stitch marker
4" (10cm) piece of heavy cardboard (for making tassels)
Yarn needle

Instructions

Notes:

Two earflaps are worked in Stockinette st (knit on right side, purl on wrong side) beginning with the I-Cord ties. Then stitches are cast on between the earflaps for front and back of hat. Hat is then worked in a cable and checkerboard pattern in rounds from top of earflaps up to the top of the hat (crown).
Two strands of yarn are held together throughout.
Hat and crown shaping can be worked by following written instructions or reading charts. Read each row of charts from right to left.

EARFLAPS (make 2)

With two double pointed needles and 2 strands of yarn held together, cast on 4 sts.
I-Cord Tie: Work 8” (20.5 cm) of I-cord. Do not bind off.

Note: Earflap can now be worked using the two double pointed needles or one circular needle. Work back and forth in rows as if working with straight needles.

Row 1 (right side): K2, place marker, k2.
Row 2: Purl.
Row 3: K1, kfb, slip marker, kfb, k1—6 sts.
Row 4: Purl.
Row 5: Knit to 1 st before marker, kfb, slip marker, kfb, knit to end of row—8 sts.
Row 6: Purl.
Rows 7 and 8: Repeat last 2 rows—10 sts. Work in Stockinette st (knit on right side, purl on wrong side) until earflap (including I-Cord tie) measures about 8½” (21.5 cm) from beginning; end with a wrong side (purl) row. Place the stitches of the first earflap onto a stitch holder and cut yarn. Keep stitches of 2nd earflap on needle and do not cut yarn.

Joining Round (right side): With right side facing and circular needle, knit across the sts of the 2nd earflap, cast on 14 sts, knit across the sts of the first earflap on holder, cast on 14 sts—48 sts. Place a marker for beginning of round. Taking care not to twist the piece, prepare to work in rounds.

HAT CHART
KEY
SHAPE CROWN CHART

HAT

Round 1: [P2, k2] 3 times, p1, [2/2 LC] twice, p1, [k2, p2] 3 times, k2, p1, [2/2 LC] twice, p1, k2.
Round 2: [P2, k2] 3 times, p1, k8, p1, [k2, p2] 3 times, k2, p1, k8, p1, k2.
Rounds 3 and 4: [K2, p2] twice, k2, p3, k8, p3, k2, [p2, k2] twice, p3, k8, p3.
Rounds 5 and 6: Repeat Round 2 twice.
Round 7: [K2, p2] twice, k2, p3, k2, 2/2 LC, k2, p3, k2, [p2, k2] twice, p3, k2, 2/2 LC, k2, p3.
Round 8: Repeat Round 3.
Rounds 9 and 10: Repeat Round 2 twice.
Rounds 11 and 12: Repeat Rounds 3 and 4.
Rounds 13–22: Repeat Rounds 1–10.

Note: When stitches will no longer fit comfortably on circular needle, change to double pointed needles.

Round 1: [K2tog, p2] twice, k2tog, p3, [k2tog] 4 times, p3, k2tog, [p2, k2tog] twice, p3, [k2tog] 4 times, p3—34 sts.
Round 2: [K1, p2] twice, k1, p3, k4, p3, k1, [p2, k1] twice, p3, k4, p3.
Round 3: [P1, k2tog] 3 times, p1, [k2tog] twice, p1, [k2tog, p1] 4 times, [k2tog] twice, p1, k2tog—22 sts.
Round 4: [P1, k1] 3 times, p1, k2, p1, [k1, p1] 4 times, k2, p1, k1.
Round 5: *K2tog; repeat from * to end of round—11 sts.

* Cut yarn, leaving a long tail. Thread tail through remaining 11 stitches and remove them from the needle. Pull on tail to close the top opening and weave in tail securely.

FINISHING

Pompom: Following pompom maker directions, make a pompom about 3” (7.5 cm) diameter and attach securely to top of hat.

Tassels (make 2): Wrap yarn about 20 times around 4” (10 cm) piece of heavy cardboard. Thread a 6” (15 cm) length of yarn under the top of the wraps and tie into a tight knot for top of tassel. Slip wraps off of cardboard. Tie a 6” (15 cm) length of yarn around wraps about 1” (2.5 cm) from top for tassel neck. Wrap ends of tie around wraps several times and then draw ends to inside of tassel. Cut the lower ends of the wraps and trim to even. Tie one tassel to the end of each I-Cord tie.

* Weave in ends

Abbreviations

k: knit

k2tog: knit next 2 stitches together

p: purl

st(s): stitch(es)

[ ]: work directions inb rackets the number of times specified

*: repeat whatever follows the * as indicated

2/2 LC (2 over 2 left cross): slip next 2 sts to cable needle and hold in front, k2, k2 from cable needle

kfb (knit into front and back): knit next st but do not remove from needle, knit into back loop of same st and remove from needle

I-Cord: With double-pointed needles, cast on 3 sts, *knit all the sts, do not turn work. Slide all the stitches to opposite end of needle. Carry yarn tightly across back of work, and knit all the stitches; repeat from * until I-cord measures indicated length.