Help! Reducing Cable Knit Hat

How-to Questions
1

Hi all!

I am doing a pattern for a cable knit hat. ( Cast on Multiples 10 is how the pattern in worked)

I cast on 80 stitches

Pattern:
r1- k2, p6, k2
r2- p2, k6, p2
r3- k2, p6, k2
r4- p2, cable 3 to back, k3, k3 from cable, p2
r5 - k2, p6, k2
r6 - p2, k6, p2

Unfortunately i dont understand :?? the science of reducing cables. Someone please tell me in VERY PLAIN english on how to reduce this hat. ITS BEAUTIFUL!!! :XX:

2

well, i’m thinking that the ideal way would be to slowly lose stitches from your cable knit stitches (leaving the purl stitches intact for the time being). so instead of having 3 and 3 that you twist around each other you decrease down to 3 and 2 and then down to 2 and 2 and so on.

3

I just finished three cable hats :smiley:

The pattern I used was also 80stitches around, but it was a b it different in that you alternated cables with stockinette (6 st cable, 2 purls, 6 sts stockinette, 2 purls, etc). The pattern called for decreasing 8 sts every other row, starting with the stockinette portions, then the purl stitches, then the cable parts were decreased last.

I’d probably put in a lifeline before you start, just in case it looks wonky…then decide which part you want to decrease first, the cables or the purls in between. For example if you decide purls, then maybe start by dong P2tog, k6 all the way around, then knit a row straight. Then decide how you want to decrease the cables…such as, I’d probably decrease every other cable (ssk, k2, k2tog) or something like that.

Eventually you’ll want to switch to decreasing every row instead of every other (usually I do this halfway through the decreases).

LMK if that made any sense :smiley:

4

Julie! That hat is gorgeous! Is it your own pattern?

I don’t know about decreasing cables on hats either, but shouldn’t the pattern say how to do it? :thinking:

5

Thanks :smiley: not my own…it’s a free pattern from www.sweaterbabe.com. I did alter the pattern when I knit it again, though, to have 5 cables instead of 4, and it turned out even cuter! (there’s a pic of that one on my blog)

6

I can’t find it on that site…it’s weirdly organized. I’ll keep looking though. Yours looks great!

7

Here it is:

http://www.sweaterbabe.com./product_kp24.htm

I knit it in the round, though – not flat like the pattern calls for. :smiley: