Unmastering the Cable Knit Hat

A couple years ago, I tried to make this free cable knit hat pattern from Michael's using I Love This Chunky Yarn from the craft store that I don't shop from anymore (don't even want to link to them!).

They look decent enough right? Except it was just too tight. I tried wearing it once to a ski resort (while not skiing of course, always use a helmet while skiing!) to convince myself that it was okay and would loosen up, but it kept popping off my head because it was too tight. We ended up donating them, because it would probably fit kids with smaller heads fine.

For the next version made with Lion Brand Hometown Yarn in Lake Tahoe Blue, I tried to make a loose slouchy cable hat, so I added an extra cable which is 8 stitches. And I made it extra tall.

This took nearly two skeins and ended up being really heavy. Sure you can put it on your head for the cool slouchy look, but it just falls off immediately after the photo shoot.

If you put in on top of your head so it doesn't fall off the back, it fits too loosely and just falls over your face.

Clearly, this cable hat doesn't work either. I completely frogged the hat (didn't want to donate this disaster), and started again. This time I used the Aspen Hat crochet pattern from 5 Little Monsters. It worked perfectly.

I was even able to reuse the pom pom.

So the key to making a chunky cable knit hat is not to make a chunky cable knit hat, you will never get the right number of cable stitches to work!