Process pics:
This post is WAY overdue as I finished these hats in February/March, but better late than never, ya? Anyway, a few months ago I saw this hat made by @littlellama on Instagram and fell in love with the pattern. Inspired to knit my own hat, I went on Ravelry, and, by a stroke of luck, stumbled upon the exact pattern @littlellama had used. It is called Regina by Carina Spencer and it is a free download.
I decided to make the hat with some yarn I already had, Bernat Softee Baby in Flannel with size US4 and US6 needles (see first attempt Regina Hat pictures). I loved the flexibility of the pattern, since you create the crown based on the number of stitches you use to make the band as opposed to using a set number of crown stitches. But while I enjoyed knitting the hat immensely, I was not totally happy with the result. In the end, I was not a fan of the way the back of the hat slouched (you can see this better in the picture from the pattern), and I felt that the yarn I had chosen was not right for the pattern. I wanted the hat in a more substantial yarn.
With these criticisms in mind, I embarked on the pattern for a second time. This go-around I treated myself with a skein of Purl Soho Worsted Twist in Toasted Charcoal, and used size US6 and US8 needles. I kept the band pretty tight, because I knew I wanted the hat to be snug rather than slouchy. (You can measure the band on yourself as you go.) While knitting, the fan part may seem a little weird at first, but if you trust the directions you will be fine. Blocking is essential as you want the fan to lay right. I wet blocked mine, and used pins to hold the fan in place (see picture).
I was very happy with the result, and ended up giving away the hat as a present. I have another skein of the Worsted Twist and think I might knit up another Regina hat with it. I would definitely recommend this pattern to anyone who has mastered a basic hat and is looking for something a little a little more challenging. Leave a comment or email me with questions!
