This is the perfect quick-knit, one-skein gift hat. It’s simple enough for a beginner or TV knitting and can easily be finished in a weekend. Variations include brimless, brimmed, and cloche formats. Changing sizes up or down is easy and two methods are suggested in the pattern.

This hat was born on a weekend when I realized the only woman in my family for whom I hadn’t knit anything for Christmas was my sister-in-law; she also happened to be the only person who had specifically asked me to knit her something. This is what’s called Gift Knitting Fail.

So I trekked down to my discount yarn shop and picked up a skein of Bernat Roving. (I considered the Paton’s Classic Wool Roving, and if I’d had more than five bucks in my wallet I would probably have gotten that instead. The Bernat is 80% acrylic, 20% wool; the Paton’s is 100% wool.)

Four hours, several episodes of Xena on Netflix, and some mad searching for the right DPNs later, I had a hat to add to my Christmas gift stash and a name checked off my list.

Now I’m looking forward to my next five bucks, so I can make one for myself.