I used the same method for this hat as for Melanie’s one.

The colour was completely organised by my 4 year old son, who chose all the yarn from my ends stash.

I cast on 24 stitches each way with Judy’s Magic sock cast on.
I placed stitch markers at every 12 stitches and increased with kfab after every marker by removing marker, kfab and replacing marker after, for diagonal increases.

I did my first colour until I finished increasing (to approx 90something stitches?) and then changed to cream due to the insistent small boy. He had a plan. I did each strip for 14 rows, then in the last blue I did 7 rows stockinette and 7 rows 1×1 rib, but for length I found an extra couple of rows was needed.

I used a sewn bind off and about 20 stitches from the end I had a toddler emergency and lost all the stitches off the needle and had to find brighter light to figure out how to pick them all up again. Stupid rib! I’m always learning, which is good.

I tried purling “properly” this time. It is regular habit to purl in reverse wind, which seems to rib a little tighter.

I couldn’t find any scissors and Stevie wanted a big pompom rather than mini ones so I had to made a pompom maker out of cardboard with a craft knife. So glad I didn’t injure myself!