When it’s too cold to go hat-less and too windy to wear your hair down, a ponytail hat is the perfect solution!

We begin by knitting a ribbed brim, then the rib lines flow into a fully charted cable pattern. We work flat for several rows before rejoining the work to form the namesake ponytail hole. Crown decreases are charted so the cables resolve neatly. At the end, we pick up stitches and work ribbing around the ponytail hole and stitch the brim to the inside of the hat.

Sizing
The pattern is written for four adult sizes:
XS: 20 in / 50cm circumference
S: 22 in / 55cm circumference
M: 24 in / 60cm circumference
L: 26 in / 65cm circumference

The finished hat is intended to be worn with neutral to negative ease. Choose a size up to 2in / 5cm smaller than head circumference.

The pattern also includes a worksheet to adjust the stitch counts for different gauges and different head sizes.

Yarn
Samples were made with DK weight Sirdar Loveful Tweed. Assuming you use a similar yarn, you can expect to need the following quantities:

XS: 55g / 170 yards / 155 meters

Small: 65g / 215 yards / 195 meters

Medium: 80g / 260 yards / 240 meters

Large: 95g / 305 yards / 280 meters

Needles and Notions
The hat is worked using a long circular needle with the magic loop technique, or you can use smaller circular needles or DPNs if you prefer.

I recommend using one needle size for the ribbed brim and the body of the hat and using a smaller needle size for the ribbing around the ponytail hole, but feel free to experiment with your swatches to find the fabric you like best.

The stitch pattern can be achieved with or without a cable needle, depending on which method is more comfortable for you.

You will also need a tapestry needle and one stitch marker to indicate the beginning of the round.

Difficulty
This is an intermediate pattern. It assumes you are comfortable working in the round, reading a chart, cabling with or without a cable needle, and picking up stitches.

If you have any questions about the pattern, please contact me at purlonfire@gmail.com.

Happy knitting!