Here’s a direct LINK. Now you don’t have to scroll through my blog post to find it.

March 1st 2015
Found a glitch in the decreases at row 5 after reading someone’s comments. The linked document is now corrected. If you printed this before today, please re-print from the new document.

Also after reading several comments, please please please check gauge! A lot of people are having trouble with sizing. My gauge is a firm 6.5 stitches to the inch in stockinette. the cast on of 140 divided by the called for 6.5 stitches gives a hat that would be 21.5 inches in circumference. The 7 purl ribs adds some (1.5inches)negative ease to this for a snug fitting hat. If your gauge is not on, you may end up with an ill-fitting hat, especially with some of the larger yarns* I’ve seen posted here. Please take a few minutes and swatch before continuing with the pattern. Remember, you should swatch in the same manner you are knitting. That means, if the project is in the round and you’re using Magic-Loop method, swatch in the round using the Magic Loop method. Or just be willing to stop, measure and tear back if needed if like me, you would be less than willing to swatch for a smaller item like a hat.

One too large hat knitter stated they used Caron United. If you look at the information for this yarn it calls for a size US8 needle and gives you 17sts/4inches or 4.25sts/inch. I used Berroco Ultra Alpaca which on a US7-8 gives 20sts/4inches or 5sts/inch. This a difference of .75 stitches per inch or 15% increase. Even on the smaller needle the gauge will be different between these two yarns and using the above stated 15% difference per inch repeated across the 140 stitch circumference you will have an additional 3.2 inches of circumference leaving you with a 24.75 inches which will be too large for most heads. Even us ego inflated male heads… So remember, not all yarns are created equal and if need be, adjust needle sizes accordingly. If this leaves you with an unsatisfactory fabric, go stash diving and find a better suited yarn to the task at hand.

January 2015
This is a simple masculine knit hat that is a dense warm fabric meant to cover the ears and provide warmth on a winters day. The pattern is simple yet not completely boring with a basic wedge shaping made by columns of purls carried up from the brim ribbing and gradient color change accomplished with spaced out stripes.

If you don’t like the gradient color change, simply omit the second color and ignore the directions for the stripe spacing. Should you do so, you should be able to complete this hat with one skein of Ultra Alpaca (217yds).

Here’s a direct LINK.