FYI: my notes include comments on both the pattern and the yarn.

Note that Interweave has posted an erratum on this pattern, namely a shift of the beginning of the round in Round 7, which is repeated as Round 15, and again in the second repeat of the pattern.

My hat took 150 yards in this yarn at a gauge of 24 sts per 4” on size 4 needles. That’s less than 1 1/2 skeins of yarn, so my 3-skein purchase will make two hats. I’ll make the second hat in the small size just in case, and donate it to my local cancer center as a chemo cap.

Knitting the 20” version in this slightly larger gauge gave me a hat that unblocked measures 20” and fits my 22” head very nicely, maybe even a tad loose. After blocking, WAY loose. I’m glad I didn’t knit the largest size!

Photos: the first one is closest to the true color of the yarn.

The yarn: maybe you can’t see it but there’s a little glittery thread that really adds some sparkle. Also, I have machine washed and dried my hat twice now (warm) and it comes through just fine--tightens up a bit but grows out again with wearing.

As to difficulty, the lace pattern is a bit strange, and you really have to pay attention, but it works. For the picot hem, rather than seaming it up at the end, I knit the seam together by folding it and carefully knitting each stitch with the cast-on loop directly below; came out perfectly!