Bubble & Squeak

Bubble & Squeak Cabled Beanie Hat by Amy van de Laar

What Is Being Made

Bubble & Squeak is a cosy cabled beanie hat designed by Amy van de Laar as a remix of her Carrot Top design. The hat features optional pompoms and is characterized by decorative cable plaits that grow organically from the ribbing and gather at the crown. This version showcases narrower plaits arranged in a dense overall pattern, making it a sophisticated accessory suitable for advanced knitters.

Design Inspiration & Construction

The design draws its name from a family cooking tradition where leftover vegetables are mashed and fried together. Like the original Carrot Top hat, Bubble & Squeak incorporates cabled plaits that emerge naturally from the ribbed base and converge toward the crown. The pattern has been refined with simplified charts and an extended ribbing section, allowing the hat to be worn with the brim folded upward for added warmth and versatility.

Knitting Techniques & Stitches

This advanced knitting project employs several key techniques:

• Cable knitting: Narrow cable plaits form the primary decorative element, created by crossing stitches over one another to produce twisted rope-like textures
• Ribbing: An extended ribbed section at the base provides stretch and structure, with lengthened ribbing allowing the hat to be worn with the brim turned up
• Purl stitches: Strategic purl stitches define and separate each cable strand, creating visual clarity within the dense overall pattern
• Decreasing at the crown: Shaping techniques gather the cable plaits together at the top of the hat
• Pompom construction: Optional pompoms add a playful finishing touch (approximately 34 yards of yarn allocated for this embellishment)

Materials & Yarn Requirements

Bubble & Squeak is worked in DK-weight yarn, requiring approximately 200 yards total (or 160 yards if pompoms are omitted). The designer's sample used 180 yards of Little Wool Company Pure Wool Naturals DK in the colorway 'Pumice', including 34 yards reserved for the pompoms.

Needles required include 4mm circular needles in an appropriate length for hat knitting, along with 3.5mm needles for the ribbed sections. Selecting the correct needle size to achieve proper gauge is essential for successful construction.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as advanced, making it suitable for experienced knitters who are comfortable working with cables, reading charts, and managing crown decreases on circular needles. The dense cable pattern and shaping techniques require solid foundational knitting skills.