After figuring out my mods needed for this hat, it takes me 4-5 hours to make one, figuring in 2 additional sets of increase rounds.

Attempt 1: Desert dust yarn, H-hook with HLITY, size “medium”. WAY too small (turned out to be 17” circumference). Frogged that one.

Attempt 2: Desert dust yarn, H-hook, following pattern for “size large”, plus two more sets of increases (4 extra rounds, with each increase taking two rounds). This was much better. Crocheted until hat folded in fourths measured 8 inches tall. Finished with one round of single crochet. Fits my 22 inch head snuggly. 109 grams.

Attempt 3: Desert dust yarn, H-hook, working in spirals as others have done (not joining with slip st each round). Just pop right into that first sc each round. Will give a slight swirl effect, which is actually great. Same size as my previous one. If anything, it might be a little bit more snug because I don’t have a slip stitch join. Fits my big head, very comfy actually! I worked one additional round after hitting 8”, then did the round of sc. 111 grams.

Flapper girl, continuous rounds: 109 grams, this yarn was heavier than the others (I find that the weight/gauge of this HLILTY yarn is quite variable!).

If the diameter is a little over 7” after the first even round… next time, if this happens with thicker yarn, try less increases in the final pair of increases (for instance, increase 3 times rather than 6 times). After a few increase rounds, you see the pattern. Just put an increase in every other spot if needing a fewer-increase round.

For the thicker HLILTY, one extra set of increases seems good. For the thinner yarn, two extra set of increases might be needed. I stop increase sets when I hit 6-6.5”.

………………………………

Tip: Start pattern following “size large”, and keep adding more increase rounds as needed to get to desired diameter. Note that the pair of “Round 5” and “Round 6” gets you through one more set of increases (round 6 is important for getting back to sc/fpdc/sc/fpdc… sequence). To add more increases, repeat these two rounds, increasing the number of st set repeats within the round each time. When your diameter is 0.5” less than desired diameter, move on to round 7 (will add about 0.5”), at least that was the case based on my gauge. So, when you get to 6”-6.5” after the increase set, just crochet even from there.

• For instance, for your first additional set of increases, repeat fpdc around next fpdc, sc in next sc 4 times before increasing within “Round 5”, and repeating similarly within “Round 6”. Keep adding to this interval for as many repeats as needed to get to your desired diameter. Note that “Round 7” will also add a bit to the total diameter (for me, it added about 0.5” more).

Extra increases similar to those written out here

How big of a diameter do you need?

• circumference = pi * diameter
• diameter = circumference / pi
• example: if I want a 22” circumference, I’ll need a diameter of 7” (22 / 3.14 = 7)

Another tip: pull those fpdcs nice and tall, makes them easier to complete more efficiently.

Another tip: working in continuous rounds means you don’t really need to mark your first st with each single round. I put a locking st marker around an fpdc at the beginning of a round and just left the marker there. You can follow the line of sts up to see when you completed a round.