Free Pattern: Cinquanta Otto

Materials:
1 skein worsted-weight yarn (120 yards)
US 10 16” circular needle (optional)
US 10 double-pointed needles
Tapestry needle

Gauge:
5 stitches x 5 rows in stockinette stitch=1 inch

Terms:
MS~K3tog, keeping the stitches on the left needle. Yo, then knit the same 3 stitches on the left needle again.
(modified from Holding Hands, Feeding Ducks)

Brim:
CO 125
K 1 round
Round 2: K1, [MS, K1] around
Round 3: K around
Round 4: K3, [MS, K1] to the last 3 stitches, K3
Repeat rounds 1-4
K 1 round
Decrease round: [K10, K2tog, K10, K2tog, slip the new stitch back onto the left needle, and knit it together with the next stitch] across
Hat body:
Round 11: [K2, MS] around
K 3 rounds
Round 16: [K3, MS] to the last two stitches, K2
K 4 rounds
Round 22: [K4, MS] to the last 5 stitches, K3, [K2tog, keeping the stitches on the left needle. Yo, then knit the same 2 stitches on the left needle again]
K even until the piece measures 4.5” from the cast-on edge
Crown decreases: [K9, K2tog] around
K 1 round
[K8, K2tog] around
K 1 round
[K7, K2tog] around
K 1 round
[K6, K2tog] around
K 1 round
[K5, K2tog] around
K 1 round
[K4, K2tog] around
K 1 round
[K3, K2tog] around
K 1 round
[K2, K2tog] around
K 1 round
[K1, K2tog] around
K 1 round
K2tog around
Break yarn, and tread it through the remaining 10 stitches, Pull tight, and weave in ends.

Screw you, time. You keep running out on me!

So I have been knitting this hat.
Designing, knitting, and frogging this hat. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Actually, it is a cloche. I have have mentally set the date to publish and the pattern on February 27. It is the 58th day of the year, and hopefully it will be my 58th post. That's why the name is Cinquanta Otto (Italian for 58—don't ask about the 58 theme. A long and stupid story).

I knew I wanted a scalloped edge, so at first I thought I'd try feather and fan lace: scalloped and pretty.
Well it scalloped, alright. And then came the decreases for the main body of the hat, and the scallops bunched up and gathered and looked horrible. However, I must've been feeling stubborn or something, for I knit and reknit the brim using feather and fan lace at least 3 times before I realized it just wouldn't work with the decreases.

After a battle with the yarn while frogging (it is slightly fuzzy—most fuzzy yarn hates me), I found this stitch pattern. It looked pretty and simple, so I abandoned the scallops and knit a long swatch as the brim.

What do you know, I got scallops when I didn't plan on making scallops. Figures.

After seaming the brim into one piece, I worked in the round and the decreases turned out fine with no bunching (Hallelujah). Then I realized I wanted to sprinkle a few stars here and there on the body of the hat, but the stitch pattern formed the stars by purling, which is why I knit the brim flat.
In a quick experiment, I discovered I could've just knit the stars and brim in the round, and it would've looked just fine.
*slams door on head repeatedly*

I am warning you: Cinquanta Otto may be changed to Sessanta Otto if you do not see the little picture of the finished hat next to Delovely and The Nutcracker Scarf next Wednesday (Italian translation: sessanta otto=68 ((again, do not ask about the 58 thing. Believe me, you don't even want to know ;) ))).

Also an apology: I am not in a picture-taking mood, so you will have to wait to see the brain-eating cloche :P