Attempting this hat as part of the ladderback Try-Along in the stranded knitting group.

Modifications so far:
I like my brims lined and snug for deep winter so I did a provisional cast on in the pattern colour (my own Opal Flame Stellina) and knit about 2” with 2.25mm needles for a dense fabric. This made up the lining that would be folded back under the ribbing. I then switched to the background colour (Knitpicks Palette “Opal”) and worked 1x1 rib for the same distance. I then transferred all the provisional cast on stitches to a second 2.25mm needle, and knit each stitch together with a cast on stitch, across the next row. After this I switched to 2.75mm and worked the increases as per the instructions. From here on in I intend to follow the pattern as written.

I am 6 rows into the patterning (if you count the setup rows for the ladders). It’s quite enjoyable and absorbing. I’m starting to get a little more fluent at it, but I’m a long way off. I’m struggling to balance my attention between (1) Even tension of floats, (2) which colour to bring forward and which colour to purl into the ladder, at any given point in the chart, (3) all the while, maintaining colour dominance and consistently holding the pattern colour behind the background colour. Wondering if there’s a trick to making this coordination more fluent, that I haven’t figured out yet?