The E.L.F. (Elf Liberation Front) Cap (renamed “A Cap Full of Caps” for the book Knitting Wizardry) was inspired by the scene in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Scholastic, 2003) where Dobby wore a stack of hats that Hermione had handknitted to free the house-elves as a part of her S.P.E.W. organization.

This riot of textures and colors looks like five separate hats, but through the magic of knitting is really one continuous piece. Short-rows tilt each section at an angle to make the hat look even more jumbled together. The E.L.F. Cap is perfect for leftover yarn scraps, with each hat section using less than an ounce.

FAQ about the E.L.F. Cap and Interweave errata

Designer’s note: After reviewing the comments and my original notes, I’ve realized that the commenters who saw an error in Hat 3 are correct. I apologize for any confusion this may have caused, and offer my sincere thanks to ebaileyknits, Eyenitsox, and LASH for spotting this error. A correct version of the two incorrect lines in Hat 3 is below.

Q: The link in the printed version of the pattern for the video for the long-tail cast on for ribbing isn’t working.
A: The video can now be found at: https://youtu.be/-Bm4fg9eS6w

Q: Are the instructions correct for when to cable in Hat 3?
A: The instructions are correct. If you look closely at the back view photo of Hat 3 on pattern page, slightly to the right of center, you’ll see that there are no columns of just knit stitches and that the cable rows are staggered from one column to the next.

Q: Are the instructions correct in The Unofficial Harry Potter Knits and Knitting Wizardry for Rows 7 and 13 of Hat 3?
A: The instructions are correct. Adding an extra repeat on these rows will cause the cables not to be staggered and will give it less of a tightly cabled look.Updated 2/20/2014: The instructions for Short-rows 7 and 13 for Hat 3 are not correct. The correct instructions (included in the Ravelry download version) are:

Short-row 7: [K6, p1] 13 (15, 17) times, wrap next st, turn.

Short-row 13: [K6, p1] 7 (9, 11) times, wrap next st, turn.

Q: Why is there a knit row in the middle of the ribbing on Hat 4?
A: The knit row will form a turning round for the brim to turn up. See back view photo on pattern page.

Q: Are the instructions for joining Hat 1 to Hat 2 correct?
A: Depending on what version you are working from, the instructions may not be correct. The correct instructions are:

*(Knit first st of Hat 2 tog with first st of Hat 1) 11 times 10[11, 12] times, k1 from Hat 2 needle only, rep from * to end.