This design creates a comfortable and warm hat that lets you place your ponytail where you want it, using an opening you leave in the seam. It uses a bulky weight yarn and K hook to work up quickly. It is suitable for both women and men, and can also be a traditional fit by merely sewing the seam up completely. I have not yet tested the pattern to be downsized for a smaller version, but I believe you could probably use a worsted weight and smaller hook to create a hat for a smaller head.