The desert around Tucson, Arizona is a strange and magical place. It is populated by an amazing profusion of cactus species that, in many places, grow so thick and tall that it feels like an otherworldly forest. Of course there is the famous Saguaro which grows nowhere else in the world, but you will also find spiny plants of every imaginable shape and form – prickly pears, barrel cactus, cholla, agave and many others. Like all forms of life that thrive in this harsh, arid environment, cacti are survivors, with their leathery skin to minimize moisture loss from respiration and their sharp spines to protect them from predators. These plants are fascinating yet forbidding, and have an alien kind of beauty.

When the desert blooms in springtime, it always feels like a surprise. Many wildflower species bloom in profusion and transform the desert floor, but they last only a short time. Cactus blooms at the same time and lasts longer, putting on a brilliant display of colors ranging from deep cerise to rich apricot to magenta and bright yellow. These blooms have a solar quality, as though all the energy of the bright desert sun is concentrated in these flowers. The blossom forms are as varied as the cacti themselves, but all are spectacular.

I can’t think of any image better to carry around on a cold, gloomy winter day than that of cactus flowers blazing bright under a warm desert sky. This hat has stylized cactus blooms sitting atop a twisted rib that echoes the ridged forms of cactus (but without the spines!), under a clear, turquoise sky. It’s topped by a fun cactus flower that you can customize to your taste. It’s knitted from the bottom up in stranded colorwork that is charted. Instructions are written for knitting it on small (16”) circular needles and double points for the crown decreases, but you can easily adapt it for Magic Loop.

Skills required:
• Long tail or other elastic cast on
• Knit and purl stitches
• Knitting small circumferences in the round
• Stranded color stockinette knitting
• Simple increases (M1, or your preference)
• Simple decreases (K2tog)
• Knitted cast on (for optional flower topper)
• Bind off (for optional flower topper)

Size: Two sizes – circumference of 19” to fit a small adult or large child, and 21.5” to fit a medium to large adult. Both versions are approx. 8” tall (not including flower topper), but can be knitted taller if desired.

This hat uses worsted weight yarn suitable for stranding in 5 colors. It requires only small amounts of each color, so it’s a great project for leftovers!