Cushy ribbed and cabled hat. I designed it in a tweedy aran wool for my friend Andrew, then knit myself a smaller one in a handspun DK yarn. Both of ours are watchcaps with a folded-up brim, but you can also shorten it to a simple cap.

The man’s version is knit on size 7s in Aran-weight yarn. The woman’s version is knit on size 6s in a sturdy DK (or a squishable worsted weight like Malabrigo). Both line-by-line and charted instructions are included in the pattern.

Working on this pattern with my friend was like letting him into the behind-the-scenes of my design process. And in a poetic turn of events, the hats were finished just in time for an open studio day at a local artists’ studios.