The Westover Beanie – chunky cable-knit bobble hat

This beanie pattern is one of my favourites this year, and is easy to master whether you’re a cable expert or just learning. Like all of my new patterns, it’s named after one of my favourite authors – this one’s the Westover Beanie after Tara Westover, whose brilliant memoir ‘Educated’ we read at our book club a few months ago. Highly recommend!

This was also my first time using Malabrigo yarn – I spent all week on a significant money diet to justify buying it, and it was quite literally like unwrapping a woolly ball of joy. Must not become an addict…

Anyway, one Westover Beanie pattern, coming up…if you have go, please send me your photos!

You will need:

• 9mm circular knitting needles
• 10mm circular knitting needles
• Cable needle
• 1 skein of super chunky yarn – Malabrigo or Rico Super Super Chunky Yarn work well
• Yarn for your pom-pom – I used a John Lewis Habico faux fur one for the purple hat, and my favourite Sirdar Alpine Luxe Fur Effect Yarn for the green pom-pom at the bottom
• Sharp scissors for making your pom-pom
• Yarn needle for attaching your pom-pom

Abbreviations:

• K1 = knit one
• P1 = purl one
• K2tog = knit two together
• C2F = slip two sts on to the cable needle, bring them to the front of your work, knit the next two, then knit the stitches on your cable needle
• C2B = slip two sts on to the cable needle, bring them to the back of your work, knit the next two, then knit the stitches on your cable needle

How it’s done:

Cast on 48 stitches using your 9mm needles

Rim of the hat – 1×1 rib stitch

Row 1: (K1, P1)

Rows 2-7: (K1, P1)

Body of the hat – switch to 10mm needles:

Rows 8-9: Knit all stitches

Row 10: (C2F, K4)

Rows 11-12: Knit all stitches

Row 13: (K4, C2B)

Three more rounds of cabling:

Rows 14-31: Repeat rows 8-13 three more times

Decrease for crown:

Row 36: (K2tog, K2tog, P4) – 42 stitches

Row 37: (K2, P2tog, P2tog) – 28 stitches

Row 38: (K2tog, P2) – 21 stitches

Row 39: (K1, P2tog) – 14 stitches

Row 40: (Sl1k) – 7 stitches

Cut your thread leaving approximately 10cm tail, and pull it through the remaining stitches. Tighten to close the top of the hat, and tie off.

You’re then ready to make your bobble. See my Rico Bobbles post for bobble instructions – also see image below for the dreamiest bobble yarn the world has ever seen!

No seaming to do (for circular knitting newbies like me, what a revelation!) Fold over the brim of your hat, and you’re the proud owner of a beautiful new knit!

For more free knitting patterns and craft inspiration, you can find me on Instagram as @craftitlikekatie – tag me in your makes!