Using bulky yarn and followed the pattern exactly, except for the arms, which had 20 rows red, and ended up 5.5 inches long. Next time, do a bit shorter.

• used a 4 inch foam ball to stuff the hat, then polyfill, pellets in an old stocking and a washer wrapped in polyfill at the bottom for stability and weight.

• the 5.5 needles for this yarn were a little big, as I can see the white polyfill through some of the gaps. That’s why I had to stuff the pellets in a stocking or they would have fallen out.

• try roving with 5.5 needles next.

19 grams of red and 91 grams of cream leftover.