I have always loved the look of swirled decreases in a hat crown, but I hate playing yarn chicken or feeling like I’m wasting my yarn if I have leftovers when I’m done. The solution to this conundrum is to work a hat from the top down, from the center of the crown out.

This pattern uses a center-out cast-on method I’ve developed called the Infinity Inside-Out Cast-on and includes a photo tutorial for it. It’s designed to use any yarn knit at any gauge you like; some general suggestions are given for picking a needle size for your yarn. And while following the pattern as written gives you a basic beanie-style hat, you can use the general construction with other hat patterns or stitch patterns to create your own interpretation.

To knit this pattern, you need to know how to:

• work in the round and
• do a lifted increase (instructions in pattern).

Notions needed: one stitch marker, yarn needle, measuring tape or ruler

How much yarn you need will depend on the size you’re making and the gauge at which you’re knitting, but most people will need 50-100 g (or about half a skein to a full skein). Knitting for a large head or knitting a hat with lots of extra length may require more than one full skein. The benefit of this pattern is that you can try the hat on as you go and completely customize the fit.

Tech editing by TECHsorcist