Have you read the book, “Misery” by Stephen King? If not, perhaps you saw the movie with Kathy Bates (I adore her) and James Caan. It’s the one where the famous romance writer slips off the road in a snowstorm and this amazingly nice woman finds him and takes him back to her home to recover. But as the snow continues to fall (hiding all trace of his errant car) and the winter creeps along, the nice Annie who picked him up slowly morphs into an obsessed super-fan intent on keeping her favorite author hostage.

I hope you will enjoy knitting this simple color work hat that uses one skein of Caron X Pantone to create layers of snow color in a gradient pattern. If you get captured by an insane woman in the mountains of Colorado and she’s willing to drive to town to buy you yarn instead of paper you could make a few.

Yarn
Caron, X Pantone, Chunky
(60% Acrylic, 20% Nylon, 20% Merino: 127yds/3.5oz).
Color Set: Olive Oil 2 hanks

Substitution
5x20g of another chunky weight yarn in gradient colors (127yds/100g).

Needles
US 9 (5.5mm) and US 7 (4.5mm) DPNs or two 24” circular needles for two circulars technique, or one 32” or longer circular needle for Magic Loop technique, or size to obtain gauge

Gauge
17.5 sts and 22 rows = 4” stockinette, lightly blocked on larger needles

Finished Measurements
Youth: 20” circumference and 9” high
Medium: 21” circumference and 9” high (may require additional hank)
Large: 23” circumference and 9” high (may require additional hank)

NOTES
Save your color remnants for a pom pom to finish off your hat. Most sizes will only require 1 hank total but it is best to have 2 on hand in case you run out early due to inconsistent quantities in your hank.

Modeled sample knit with Caron X Pantone colorway: Olive Oil. Static shots feature colorways: Blueberry and Faerie Cake.