Lofty Braided Ear Flap Hat
The chunky gauge and loftiness of Lofty Wool gives the cables body and a softened texture. The braids continue at the earflaps and top for fun and cozy look.

Level:Intermediate
Size:Woman’s M (Hat Circumference: ~20”)

Materials:
4 – 50g balls ofCrystal Palace Lofty Wool(Shown in color #5448 Sage)(272 total yards)
Crystal Palace Bamboo16” Circular & Double-Pointed Needles in US #9 (5.5 mm), or size needed to obtain gauge
Cable needle
Yarn needle
Scrap yarn (~12-18”)
Stitch marker

Gauge:4 sts = 1” in St st; 6 sts = 1” over cabled patt

Abbreviations:
beg- beginning; BO- bind off; C4L- cable 4 left (slip 2 sts and hold in front of work, k2, k2 from cable needle); C6L- cable 6 left (slip 3 sts and hold in front of work, k3, k3 from cable needle); C6R- cable 6 right (slip 3 sts and hold in back of work, k3, k3 from cable needle); CO- cast on; dpn- double-pointed needle; k- knit; k2tog- knit 2 stitches together; kfb- knit in front and back loop to inc 1; MC- main color; m1- make one stitch (pull band of yarn on row below between stitch just worked and next stitch and slip onto left needle, knit into back of this stitch to make a new stitch); m1p- make one purl stitch (same as m1 except you will purl into back to make new stitch); p- purl; p2tog- purl 2 stitches together; patt- pattern; pm- place marker; pu- pick up; rem- remaining; rep- repeat; Rnd- round; RS- right side (outside of garment); ssk- slip, slip, knit (slip one stitch knitwise onto working needle then slip the next stitch knitwise onto working needle, slip back onto left needle and knit together; st(s)- stitch(es); St st- stockinette stitch; WS- wrong side (inside of garment)

Instructions:

Earflaps:
With scrap yarn* and dpn, CO 11 sts. Change to MC and work back and forth with 2 dpn’s.

Row 1 (RS): k
Row 2 (WS): sl 1, p9, k1.
Row 3: sl 1, m1p, k9, m1p, p1. [13 sts]
Row 4: sl 1, k1, p9, k2.
Row 5: sl 1, m1p, p1, C6R, k3, p1, m1p, p1. [15 sts]
Row 6: sl 1, k2, p9, k3.
Row 7: sl 1, m1, p2, k9, p2, m1, p1. [17 sts]
Row 8: sl 1, p1, k2, p9, k2, p1, k1.
Row 9: sl 1, m1, k1, p2, k3, C6L, p2, k1, m1, p1. [19 sts]
Row 10: sl 1, p2, k2, p9, k2, p2, k1.
Row 11: sl 1, m1, k2, p2, k9, p2, k2, m1, p1. [21 sts]
Row 12: sl 1, p3, k2, p9, k2, p3, k1.
Row 13: sl 1, m1, k3, p2, C6R, k3, p2, k3, m1, p1. [23 sts]
Row 14: sl 1, p4, k2, p9, k2, p4, k1.
Row 15: sl 1, k4, p2, k9, p2, k4, p1.
Row 16: As Row 14.
Row 17: sl 1, C4L, p2, k3, C6L, p2, C4L, p1.
Row 18: As Row 14.
Row 19: As Row 15.
Row 20: As Row 14.
Row 21: sl 1, C4L, p2, C6R, k3, p2, C4L, p1.
Row 22: As Row 14.
Row 23: As Row 15.
Row 24: As Row 14.
Row 25: As Row 17.

Break yarn, leaving a 6-8” tail. Hold aside. Make 2nd earflap as for first, but do not break yarn. Sl all 23 sts of 2nd earflap onto circular needles. Using knit-on cast-on, CO 34 sts, work p1, k4, p2, k9, p2, k4, p1 across 23 sts of 1st earflap (RS facing), CO 24 sts, work p1, k4, p2, k9, p2, k4, p1 across 23 sts of 2nd earflap. [You should have 104 sts on the needles.] P1 more st and pm for beg of Rnd. Join and begin working in the Rnd.

Hat:
Rnd 1 and 2: (k2, p2, k4, p2) 4x, k9, p2, k4, p2, (k2, p2, k4, p2) 3x, k9, p2, k4, p2.
Rnd 3: (k2, p2, C4L, p2) 4x, C6R, k3, p2, C4L, p2, (k2, p2, C4L, p2) 3x, C6R, k3, p2, C4L, p2.
Rnd 4, 5 and 6: As Rnd 1.
Rnd 7: (k2, p2, C4L, p2) 4x, k3, C6L, p2, C4L, p2, (k2, p2, C4L, p2) 3x, k3, C6L, p2, C4L, p2.
Rnd 8: As Rnd 1.
Rep these 8 Rnds 4 times total (piece should measure ~5½”, not including earflaps). Remove marker. K1 of next Rnd and pm. This is now the new beg of the Rnd.

Begin Crown Decrease:

Rnd 1: (k1, p2, k4, p1, k2tog) 4x, k8, p2, k4, p1, k2tog, (k1, p2, k4, p1, k2tog) 3x, k8, p2, k4, p1, k2tog. [95 sts]
Rnd 2: (k1, p2, k4, p1, k1) 4x, k8, p2, k4, p1, k1, (k1, p2, k4, p1, k1) 3x, k8, p2, k4, p1, k1.
Rnd 3: (k1, p2, C4L, p1, k1) 3x, k1, p2, C4L, p1, C6R, k3, p2, C4L, p1, k1, (k1, p2, C4L, p1, k1) 2x, k1, p2, C4L, p1, C6R, k3, p2, C4L, p1, k1.
Rnd 4: (k1, p1, k2tog, k3, p1, k1) 4x, k8, p1, k2tog, k3, p1, k1, (k1, p1, k2tog, k3, p1, k1) 3x, k8, p1, k2tog, k3, p1, k1. [86 sts]
Rnd 5: (k1, p1, k4, p1, k1) 4x, k8, p1, k4, p1, k1, (k1, p1, k4, p1, k1) 3x, k8, p1, k4, p1, k1.
Rnd 6: (k1, p1, k4, k2tog) 4x, k8, p1, k4, k2tog, (k1, p1, k4, k2tog) 3x, k8, p1, k4, k2tog. [77 sts]
Rnd 7: (k1, p1, C4L, k1) 3x, k1, p1, C4L, k3, C6L, p1, C4L, k1, (k1, p1, C4L, k1) 2x, k1, p1, C4L, k3, C6L, p1, C4L, k1.
Rnd 8: (k1, k2tog, k4) 4x, k8, k2tog, k4, (k1, k2tog, k4) 3x, k8, k2tog, k4. [68 sts]
Rnd 9: k.
Rnd 10: k.
Rnd 11: (k2tog, k2, k2tog) 4x, k7, k2tog, k2, k2tog, (k2tog, k2, k2tog) 3x, k7, k2tog, k2, k2tog. [50 sts]
Rnd 12: k.
Rnd 13: (k8, k2tog) around. [45 sts]
Rnd 14: k.
Rnd 15: (k3, k2tog) around. [36 sts]
Rnd 16: (k2, k2tog) around. [27 sts]
Rnd 17: (k1, k2tog) around. [18 sts]
Rnd 18: (k2tog) around. [9 sts]
Leave sts on needles.*

Braided Top:*

[You will make 3 strips using rem 9 sts.]

1st strip (over 1st 3 sts): kfb, k1, kfb, turn.

Work strip back and forth in St st until it measures 9”. Thread yarn through rem 3 sts and pull together. Weave in end. Work 2nd strip over next 3 sts and 3rd strip over last 3 sts the same as for 1st strip.

Braid strips together, leaving 2” unbraided at the end. Wrap yarn 3-5 times tightly around end. Knot together and weave ends inside braid.

Earflap Braids:*

With hat upside down and RS facing, pu 11 sts from bottom of earflap and pull out scrap yarn.

1st strip (RS) (over 1st 4 sts): k3, kfb, turn.


Work strip back and forth in St st until it measures 10”. Thread yarn through rem sts and pull together.

2nd strip (RS) (over next 3 sts): m1, k3, m1, turn.


Work strip same as for 1st.

3rd stip (RS) (over last 4 sts): k3, kfb, turn.


Work strip same as for 1st.

Braid strips together, leaving 2” unbraided at the end. Wrap yarn 3-5 times tightly around end. Knot together and weave ends inside braid. Weave in all rem ends.
* Earflap braids can be omitted by casting on earflaps with MC instead of scrap yarn. Top braids can be omitted by cutting yarn at end of crown dec, leaving a 6-8” tail, and threading it through rem 9 sts.