October 5, 2009: I have been getting a lot of emails about some problem in the increase row, esp. M2. Since the pattern was written up a couple of years ago I have honestly lost touch with it, and need to fully reknit the pattern to work out any kinks with it and reword it to make it clearer. I am unfortunately very busy at work and won’t be able to do so for a while, so I ask for everybody’s patience! If someone who’s already knit it can figure out the problem and help in the comments section (esp. the increase row) that will be great, but otherwise I’ll get to it ASAP, promise!

May 22, 2008: Version 3.0 has now been updated, with further corrections to the written section of the cabled motif.

Thanks to novelwoman for pointing them out to me. I swatched the motif again, and now (hopefully!) it is error-free. As always, the chart is correct.

Also, this corrected version incorporates the suggestion many people have made of starting the ribbing with a “p1, k2” to get the cable motif to line up with the ribbing. Thanks to all for that suggestion.

Oct 07: Fixed errors to the written section of the pattern.

From Pattern Notes:

“This hat was inspired by an 8-point lotus-shaped ‘rangoli’ design my mother makes, one of the many rice-powder free-hand designs drawn outside many South Indian homes everyday (with more ornate ones filled with colour for festivals). This is my first attempt at adapting these designs to cabled knits. This is a relatively simple knit, with the same pattern repeated 8 times throughout. The hat begins at the brim and is knit to the crown in the round.

This hat is snug at the ribbing over the ears, but not over the head; stitches are increased just after the ribbing to make it roomy. It is intended to be looser than a watch cap but not as floppy as a beret. If you have hat hair issues, this project is for you!“