This pattern allows for some flexibility of yarn, needles and gauge. The hat is knitted in a repeat of panels that are knitted in sequence. Since it is knitted around the head instead of top-down (or bottom-up), you can adapt the number of repeats of the panel to fit your head.
The pattern lends itself extremely well to self-patterning yarn or home-dyed two-tone yarn since these create vertical stripes, giving the hat an unusual look and emphasising the direction of the knitting. A similar effect can be achieved by knitting with 2 colours and changing colour every couple of rows. For a child-size version, cast on the smaller number of stitches (48) and knit the right number of repeats to fit the head, just like the adult 56-stitch size.
Difficulty: Easy
Measurements: Each panel adds approx. 5 cm (2 in) to the head circumference
Materials: Tall Yarns Superwash Merino DK (225 m. per 100 grs.) or equivalent double knitting yarn
Metreage needed: approx. 20 metres per panel. 100 gr of yarn will be enough
Tension: 20 sts and 26 rows measure 10 x 10 cm
Notions: One pair of 4.5 mm needles