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Inspired by the highway that went right past my house where I grew up in rural Minnesota, this quick hat features a row of trees and a smattering of stars shining down upon them. It’s perfect for beginners who want to jump into lace knitting with a small and forgiving project.

This hat is written with detailed instructions and charts for three sizes. The largest size is intended to fit those of us with big heads and the smallest fits well for your children, teens or those who just may have a smaller head. It’s constructed from the bottom up with a fun but simple “twist” to the traditional ribbing style.

It also includes instructions for where to add extra rows if you wish to make a slouchier fitting hat. I think it looks fantastic both with and without a pom pom, so use your best judgement and preference with that!

Yarn Usage:

• Plan for at least 130 (140, 150) yards / 119 (128, 138) meters plus an extra 50 yards / 45 meters if you decide to add a pom.
• You shouldn’t need more than one 100g skein of yarn to complete any size with a pom.
• If you’re going pom-less, you could likely get two of small size hats (without adding extra slouch) out of one skein of the suggested yarns, which makes this a great gift knit!

Needle Notes:
You’ll need both sizes of needles, regardless of the size you knit. Use either a 16”/40cm circular of each size (plus DPNs of the larger size) or a magic loop needle for each size. It’s really up to you and your style of knitting.

Notions:
Yarn/Tapestry needle for weaving in ends.
11 Stitch Markers, 1 being unique from the rest.
Optional: Pom-Pom Maker 2 1/2” (or 3 3/8” if you’re feeling sassy.)

The Story of the Hat & Designer Notes:
The Avenue of Pines Scenic Byway is the tourist-y name given to State Hwy 46, which is just 46 miles long (total coincidence) and goes from Northome, MN (where I went to high-school) to Deer River, MN (where my grandmother grew up) and passes through a barely there village called Alvwood, near where my home was and where my parents still live! The highway goes right through Chippewa National Forest, a 1.6 million acre forest that is home to many towns, people, and creatures as well as Itasca State Park, where the mighty Mississippi begins!

I hope you’ll take a quick journey with me into the forest, designing and knitting this hat has given me such strong memories of my childhood and I invite you to learn and enjoy some of that experience with me.

Massive thanks to my test knitters, especially those of you who were so graceful in helping me iron out the few errors you found. Without you, this pattern would still be languishing on my hard-drive. And also huge thanks to my mom, who agreed to model and take photos of the hat with its namesake.