This lovely hat began as a horrible failure of a sock pattern. I wanted to make lacy socks with my handspun yarn time and my gauge was off. The sock was so big that I knew I was going to have to frog it or donate them to the nearest bariatric hospice. While ripping, I found a hat waiting to happen.

This hat is fairly deep. It can be pulled over the ears and forehead on blustery days or worn higher on the head with plenty of room for a ponytail.

The Lacy Girly Fancy Hat looks best with mismatched clothes and a spaghetti sauce beard.

Yarn: One skein Lanaloft Worsted, 160 yards. Any worsted weight yarn should do. (Isabel received this hand painted skein when we toured the Brown Sheep factory–no other yarn will do for her. I’ve never seen this colorway in stores. A solid color would show the lace better.)

Needles: Toddler requires size 7 double pointed needles, larger sizes can be worked on16” size 7 Addi Turbo circular needle until decreases, then worked on double pointed needles to finish crown.

Finished Size: Toddler(Child, Teen/Adult): 14 (17, 20) inches around before blocking, can be wet-blocked out larger for a slouchy fit.

Lace Pattern: (Gull Wing Lace–a favorite of Elizabeth Zimmerman)

Round 1: *K2tog, YO, K3, YO, SSK, repeat from * to end
Round 2: Knit across
Round 3: *K1, K2tog, YO, K1, YO, SSK, K1, repeat from * to end
Round 4: Knit across

You will also need: stitch marker; ¼ inch ribbon, 20 (26, 32) inches, or whatever width and length looks right to you.

Gauge: 4.5 stitches per inch and 6 rows per inch in stockinette stitch. The slant of the yarn I used (which was spun as a single) made row gauge hard to calculate. If you get a slightly different row gauge, just work pattern to length and begin decreases.

Cast on: 62 (76, 90) stitches and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist. (Leaving a long tail will make sewing the hem easier during finishing.) Place marker at beginning of round.

Knit 3 rounds even.

Picot Edge: *YO, K2tog, repeat from * to end.

Knit next 5 rounds even.

Eyelet row: *K2, YO, K2tog, repeat from * to end.

Knit next round even.

Next round, K, M1, K to end. 63 (77, 91) stitches for lace pattern.

Knit next round even.

Begin Gull Wing Lace Pattern. Work until heat measures 6 (8, 10) inches from picot edge row. End with Round 4.

Begin decreases: *K2tog, K3, SSK, repeat to end. 45 (55, 65) stitches remain.

Knit next row even.

Second decreases: *K1, [Slip 1, K2together, pass slipped stitch over], K1, repeat from * to end. 27 (33, 45) stitches remain.

Sizes Child and Teen/Adult only: K next round even.

K1, K2tog to end. (17, 23) stitches remain.

Finish off crown: cut yarn, leaving a 12 inch tail. Thread through yarn needle and pass tail through all remaining stitches and tighten. Pull end through all live stitches again, then bury the end.

Finishing: Turn cast on edge to inside and stitch in place. Weave in any ends. Block as desired.

Cut a 20 (26, 32) inch piece of ¼ inch ribbon and thread through eyelet row. Tie in bow and trim ends at a 45 degree angle.

About the designer: Alexandra Walters lives in rural Montana. She interprets life through stitches. Blog: Knit-R-Done