Autumn Basketweave hat

This next hat was made using the same yarn as my Simplicity Itself Reading Jacket and a 6.00mm hook.  I really love this yarn.  It's got a wonderful feel and I like the gradual shading.

The hat itself is pretty basic.



I started with 8 sc in a magic ring, then worked the flat disc for the crown in dc until it had the diameter I wanted. 




This sides were worked in a basketweave pattern, which is just alternating groups of front post and back post dc.  To figure out how many in each group, I divided the total number of stitches in the crown's final round by different numbers to see which would give me an even number of groupings.  The even number ensures that the last group is done in the opposite stitches of the first group, so if you start with a group of fpdc, you'll finish the round with a group of bpdc.  With the gauge in this hat, it worked out to multiples of 3, so that's how many stitches I did in each group.  I could have gone with 6, but I thought it wouldn't have looked as good.  Personally, I would not go with more than 5 stitches per group, just for aesthetic reasons.  If you like a larger grouping, go for it.

The first round was done in just dc with no increases to get the straight side started, then the second round was done in groups of 3 fpdc, 3 bpdc around.  The third round reversed the pattern, doing bpdc into the fpdc of the previous round.  The fourth round worked fpdc into fpdc, bpdc into bpdc, matching the 3rd round, then the pattern got switched again in the 5th and 6th rounds.  I stopped at 6 rounds, but if you wanted something a touch longer, you could add a couple more rounds here, or into the "cuff" section.



The hat was then finished with a "cuff" alternating one front and one back post dc for three more rounds and a final round of sc.  That last round of sc pulls the edge in just a little bit, so it not only tidies up the edge nicely, but it makes for a snug, draft free fit.

If I wanted to, I could have continued the rounds of alternating front and back post dc until it was long enough to be turned up when worn, but I think with this yarn, it would have been a bit too thick.  I could also have added an earflap section as in my Cable Petals hat.

I've made hats with this basketweave pattern a few times, with each one being slightly different due to the thickness of yarn and hook size.  It's a really basic hat with just enough texture to make it interesting, yet it's still the type of thing you can work on while watching a movie or having a conversation.