The Topography hat is an easy knit with remarkable finishing—it has a little shaping as you go, but the final steps bring it all together. It’s a pretty fun knit, with a unique diagonal garter stitch angle that shows off a variegated yarn extremely well.

You can make two completely different hats from this pattern .PDF. It includes instructions for all options shown.

Architectural/topographical garter stitch should keep a more experienced knitter engaged, but all this project really requires is a little bit of intermediate knowledge—which an ambitious beginner can easily look up and acquire. Techniques include grafting, increases, and seaming.

This .PDF features a lot of photo illustration to accompany the finishing instructions.

Gauge:
Gauge is 25 sts and 56 rows over 4”/10cm of garter stitch, worked flat and blocked. Please be sure to check your gauge.

Measurements:
Beanie: 6.5(8)“/16(20)cm tall, 8(9.25)”/20(23)cm wide, measured flat.
Cat Hat: 6”/15cm functional height, 8.25”/21cm height including ears, 9.25”/23cm wide, measured flat

Keep in mind that this is a very stretchy knit hat, intended to have some negative ease when the flat measurements are compared to the wearer’s measurements. (The measurements are flat, so width doubled is the rough circumference.)

Materials:
150(180) yards of fingering-weight yarn; samples are knit in Malabrigo Yarn Sock
1 24”+ circular needle in US3/3.25mm, or size needed for gauge
spare circular needle in same size or one lower
tapestry needle for weaving in ends
crochet hook, 2.25mm or size suited to yarn (provisional cast-on)
scrap yarn (provisional cast-on)