I grew up in an old house with cedar shakes. When I was a teenager those shakes needed to be replaced. My dad, being a carpenter, took on the job himself, and enlisted the rest of the family to help. Imagine what the people driving by thought when they saw my sister, mom and me up on scaffolding, plane and hammer in hand, re-shingling our two-story house. It created quite a stir! But what a sense of accomplishment we felt when it was done, and I had a family memory that will last a lifetime.

The stitch pattern in this hat reminds me of those old cedar shakes and makes me smile. It is a very simple pattern that’s easy to memorize and repeat mindlessly while you think back on good days. The hat can be made as a snug-fitted toque or to be stylishly slouchy. Instructions are given for both fingering and aran weight yarn in sizes from Baby to Adult. You will have access to two pdf’s, one for fingering weight instructions, one for aran weight. Download the versions as needed.

Note: Be sure to measure the recipient’s head and knit the size according to that measurement as not everyone’s head is “standard”.

Sizes: Baby (Toddler, Child, Woman, Man) fits 14” (16”, 18”, 20”, 22”) / 35 (40, 45, 50, 55) cm head with 2” / 5 cm negative ease at band.

Materials
Yarn:
The fingering weight sample was knit in DROPS Fabel Superwash; 75% Wool Superwash, 25% Polyamid; 224 yds 205 m / 1.75 oz 50 g
The aran weight sample was knit in Mission Falls 1824 Wool; 100% Merino Superwash; 85 yds 78 m / 1.75 oz 50 g. This yarn has been discontinued but another worsted or aran weight yarn of similar composition would be a fine substitute.

Fingering toque: 80 (110, 135, 160, 185) yds / 75 (100, 125, 145, 170) m

Fingering slouchy: 100 (130, 155, 180, 210) yds / 90 (120, 140, 165, 190) m

Aran toque: 50 (65, 80, 95, 110) yds / 45 (60, 75, 85, 100) m

Aran slouchy: 60 (80, 90, 110, 125) yds / 55 (75, 80, 100, 115) m

Needles: 16” (40 cm) circular, DPN, long circular for magic loop or two circulars in the following size (or size needed to obtain gauge as listed).

Fingering versions: US #2 (2.75 mm)

Aran versions: US# 7 (4.5 mm)

Notions: Stitch marker
Tapestry needle

Gauge: Gauge is given in the Cedar Shake pattern.
Fingering weight: 29 stitches and 42 rows / 4 inches 10 cm
Aran weight: 17 stitches and 26 rows / 4 inches 10 cm

Thank again to Eleanor Dixon for tech editing, and to all my lovely testers!