Kelly's Oak Crest Hat

I was first drawn to the Oak Crest pattern when flipping through Pom Pom magazine because the cable detail was unlike any I’d seen before. As a recent transplant to Colorado, my knitting world has exploded with chilly weather accessories (hooray!), and cables have no doubt taken center stage.

Pattern: Oak Crest by Maisie Howarth from Pom Pom Quarterly Autumn 2015
Yarn: 1 skein of Baa Ram Ewe's Dovestone DK in Chevin
Size Made: 1
Modifications: Even though the extended crown knot is an adorable detail of this hat, I decided against adding it. I felt like the cabling deserved the spotlight in this bright of a yarn color.

What struck my fancy about this particular cabling was its resemblance to the gorgeous pine trees I’d encountered on my treks through the mountains. Most cabling I’d done in the past braids over itself, while this pattern actually branched out as it grew upward, much like the branches of an evergreen reaching for the sun. How lovely!

Using Dovestone DK was a no-brainer for me-- as a skein, it looks deceptively simple and unassuming. However, once you’ve got your knitting groove going, its charm reveals itself in the most delightful way. Dovestone is a 50% Blue Faced Leicester, 25% Masham, 25% Wensleydale blend that flows across your needles with incredible ease. There’s just enough sturdy wool to give you confidence in your garment lasting through many winters, with the added Wensleydale sheen to give it sophisticated drape and style.

Green is my favorite color, however I typically veer towards knitting accessories in the many shades of grey that accompany the inevitable “will it go with everything?” garb. Reminiscing about those hikes among my evergreen friends made this gorgeous green a welcome ray of sunshine in my otherwise neutral grey winter wardrobe.

The cable repeats were surprisingly easy to memorize, and because they repeat 6 times across the row, this became quite a quick knit. I found it fairly easy to put down and pick up in small pockets of time. Perfect for the crazy bustle of holiday prepping!

I decided against adding the extended crown knot, because I liked the classy feel it maintained without it. Because I still have about half a skein left, I plan on making a matching hat with the knot for my niece! I cannot wait to take this beauty on my next journey into the forest, I think the pines will approve.

Errata found on Pom Pom website- In the body of the hat, after working crown decreases and before decreasing for the separate sizes work as follows: Remove marker, p1 and PM. This is new beginning of round.