This hat was definitely a departure from the original pattern, although I began it the same way and used almost the same stitch counts. I worked increases as written in the pattern until I reached 40 sts, and then I began working each point of the star individually over 8 stitches. I worked 8 stitches twice, then decreased 2 stitches (one on each end) on each row until I had 2 stitches left. I worked on last row with an hdc2tog and fastened off then moved on to the next point.

After working each point, I started filling in with the blue. I worked one stitch in the first row where I started the points (which worked out as an increase of 5 sts over that round, for a total of 45 sts), and then in each following round I increased one stitch on either end. In the first of those rounds, since I’d worked 8 sts in each point, that worked out as an increase of 10 sts in that round, taking me to a total of 55 sts.

Once I worked all of the blue sections, I shifted to the red. Because I had an “extra” white stitch at the end of each star, when I got to the star points I worked an hdc2tog with the last blue stitch and the one white stitch, to keep my stitch count at 55. 3 rounds of red, 3 rounds of white, and then 3 rounds of red finished the hat to make it look just like Captain America’s shield.