Don’t let your tail ends win! This is a high-impact, rather low effort (nearly) no-finish piece that you can tailor to your desired level of involvement. I used this as an opportunity to eat up a lot of scraps I had; colors I had left over and that were used were:

• Brown Sheep Co., Lanaloft sport in “Manor Grey” (MC1)
• Brown Sheep Co., Lanaloft sport in “Dark Ash” (MC2)
• Brown Sheep Co., Lanaloft sport in “Lobster Red” (CC1)
• Brown Sheep Co., Lanaloft sport in “Roasted Pepper” (CC2)
• Brown Sheep Co., Lanaloft sport in “Japanese Maple” (CC3)
• The Fiber Co., Cumbria Fingering in “Derwentwater” (AC1)
• Brown Sheep Co., Lanaloft sport in “Feather Gold” (AC2)
• Brown Sheep Co., Lanaloft sport in “Black Bear” (AC3)

and each one used less than one ball. I’ve divided the colors up into main colors, contrast colors, and accent colors. Though I’ve used 8 different colors, you can choose to use any number from 2-999 or any number of truly infinite options, however the bug may bite you.
Most importantly to consider if choosing your own colors and rummaging your own stash is that the Main Colors are focused in the background, the Contrast Colors are used for the motifs, and the Accent Colors are used only in a single line in the center of some (or all) of the motifs. In order you will need the most MC1, MC2, (in future iterations of this hat I’ll probably add a MC3 as well) and then CC2, CC1, CC3, and then you’ll need very little of any Accent Color chosen.

The big addition to this pattern is the way in which you deal with adding and subtracting colors from the work so that in the end you only have 2 or 3 ends to weave in, depending if you choose to do the corrugated ribbing or not. It’s truly not that revolutionary but it’s very fun from a construction standpoint and makes the work as well completely knot-free for any knot-snobs out there.
Other skills not mentioned used in this pattern will also be Continental style knitting, a German Twisted Cast On, decreasing both left and right, managing a seam stitch along the decrease lines, and twisted and slipped stitches.

Finished hat measures 21 inches around and 9 inches from crown to brim. It can be worn with a negative ease of 1 inch for a head measuring 22 inches around.