This is a modified version of Laura Lee’s Big Funky Hat. Her free pattern, complete with slower decreases, a nice long tassle, and funky seed stitch earflaps is here, at her Alarming Female blog. I knitted it in the recommended yarn, Schoeller+Stahl’s Big Mexiko Color. This light worsted weight wool superwash is readily available, but Schoeller+Stahl’s corporate structure is a tad complex these days, so no link to their website this time. Whoever they are right now, they make a great colorful self-striping yarn. The hat, even without its earflaps, take more than one ball. If the color sequence is important to you, you’ll have to find the right place to start in the second ball.

I decided I wanted the hat to be a bit longer until the crown decreases and a bit rounder on top.  Instead of the decrease interval in the pattern, I decreased every 3rd row. It rounded up nicely. And, of course, that’s an I-cord knot on top. Knit 4-5 inches of I-cord, knot it, and sew it in place. I skipped the seed stitch ear flaps and turned it into a roll brim. Actually it turned itself into a roll brim. The hat already covered the ears by the time I was done, so ear flaps would have ended up misplaced and laying on shoulders.

I knit this warm wool hat last weekend, when temperature soared to the mid-90’s here in Michigan. Warm weather always sends me to small projects and a seasonal disconnect.