Sunny Days Hat - Knitting Pattern

Today, on this dreary, wet and rainy day, I wanted to share a new knitting pattern with you for a bright and sunny hat.  Unusually for a hat, it's knit from the top down and instead of a ribbed brim, it features a plaited cable bind off.  You could easily replace the cable bind off with some plain ribbing, but I think it adds an extra flare to your hat.

Sunny Days Hat

You'll Need:

  • ~250m (or 100g skein) DK Yarn (I used Hayfield Bonus DK, Colourway 978 Sunflower)
  • Either a set of five 5mm double pointed needles or a 5mm circular needle (I use 5mm circular with an 80cm cord)
  • Darning needle to weave in your ends

 Sunny Days Hat

Pattern (abbreviations at end):

Cast on 8 stitches and split evenly onto either 4 double-pointed needles or a circular needle  Be careful not to twist the stitches.  (I make all my hats using the magic loop method with a circular needle, but the choice is yours).

Row 1: KFB into each stitch (16 stitches)
Row 2 and ALL Even Rows: K all stitches
Row 3: (YO, K2) 8 times (24 stitches)
Row 5: (YO, K3) 8 times (32 stitches)
Row 7: (YO, K4) 8 times (40 stitches)
Row 9: (YO, K5) 8 times (48 stitches)
Row 11: (YO, K6) 8 times (56 stitches)
Row 13: (YO, K7) 8 times (64 stitches)
Row 15: (YO, K8) 8 times (72 stitches)
Row 17: (YO, K9) 8 times (80 stitches)
Row 19: (YO, K10) 8 times (88 stitches)
Row 21: (YO, K11) 8 times (96 stitches)
Row 23: (YO, K12) 8 times (104 stitches)
Row 25: (YO, K13) 8 times (112 stitches)
Row 27: (YO, K14) 8 times (120 stitches)
Row 29: (K13, K2TOG, YO) 8 times
Row 31: (K12, K2TOG, YO, K1) 8 times
Row 33: (K11, K2TOG, YO, K2) 8 times
Row 35: (K10, K2TOG, YO, K3) 8 times
Row 37: (K9, K2TOG, YO, K4) 8 times
Row 39: (K8, K2TOG, YO, K5) 8 times
Row 41: (K7, K2TOG, YO, K6) 8 times
Row 43: (K6, K2TOG, YO, K7) 8 times
Row 45: (K5, K2TOG, YO, K8) 8 times
Row 47: (K4, K2TOG, YO, K9) 8 times
Row 49: (K3, K2TOG, YO, K10) 8 times
(Row 50: Knit)

At this point we start the cable bind off.  Either, cast on 10 stitches using the knit method or cut the yarn and provisionally cast on 10 stitches
Note that the K2TOGs on the odd rows use one of the edge stitches and one of the stitches from the hat and the the S1wyif is used to create a wrap around the slipped stitch to ensure less holes between the edging and the hat.  Turn at the end of each written row.

Row 1 & 5: P1, K7, P1, K2TOG, S1wyif, turn.
Row 2, 4, 6, 8: P2TOG, K1, P6, K1, P1, turn.
Row 3: P1, K3, C4F, P1, K2TOG, S1wyif, turn.
Row 7: P1, K1, C4B, K2, P1, K2TOG, S1wyif, turn.

Repeat these 8 rows until you have "cast off" all of your stitches and have 10 stitches remaining on the needles.  You will end after row 8.
If you didn't use a provisional cast on, cast these stitches off in your favourite method and sew up the gap in the brim.
If you used a provisional cast on, graft these final stitches with those from the provisional cast on.

Weave in your ends, sew up the hole at the top of the hat, block as desired and enjoy your new sunny hat!


C4B - Cable 4 back (slip 2 stitches onto cable needle and hold at back, knit 2 stitches from left needle, knit stitches from cable needle)
C4F - Cable 4 forward (slip 2 stitches onto cable needle and hold in front, knit 2 stitches from left needle, knit stitches from cable needle)
K - Knit
KFB - Knit into the front and back of the stitch
K2TOG - Knit 2 together
P - Purl
P2TOG - Purl 2 together
S1wyif - Slip 1 stitch purlwise with the yarn in front (to create a wrap).
YO - Yarn Over