Attempt #1: failed
I measured my gauge at the start of the project per the directions and got 6.5 stitches per inch. I knit for a large size. About 25% through the project, I realized it would be way too big. Frogged.

Attempt #2: failed
I sized down to a medium. I measured my gauge at the start of the project and, again, got 6.5 stitches per inch. I measured at several different locations and consistently got 6.5. However, after knitting most of the first half of the hat, I realized the hat was huge, comically large. I measured the gauge at the straight section and the gauge here was clearly 5.5 stitches. A HUGE FLAW in the pattern is that you’re measuring gauge in a super small space, over just an inch, and in a section with numerous increases, which naturally tighten up the knitting since you are borrowing yarn from the previous row to make the new stitches. So frustrating. Frogged.

Attempts #3-5: failed
Using the new gauge of 5.5 stitches per inch and knitting for a medium size, I tried casting on using the disappearing loop method and just could not get it to work. I tugged on the tail immediately after casting on each time to make sure it would close up, and it did. Then several rows into the project, I tugged on the tail to close the hole and it did not budge. Frogged x3.

Attempt #6: failed
I think I had the right gauge and the right size. I used Emily Ocker’s cast on and loved it. So easy. So clean. However, I used self-striping yarn (Knit Picks Swish Pops, Dreamwave) and the straight section had the worst color pooling. It was creating entire panels or chunks of one solid color. No stripes, and no shifting of the panels to add variety. Horrible. Frogged.

Attempt #7: success
I knit a 4” swatch before determining my gauge. Although I would typically choose a size large for the hat, I’m sizing down to a medium after reading numerous other comments about the hat running large. I used a solid color yarn to avoid ugly color pooling.

I started with Emily Ocker’s cast-on. Loved it!

The sizing turned out perfectly. It fits snuggly on my head and is warm. I used the Andean Treasures yarn on the interior because I thought it would be extra soft. I have just a few yards left in the skein.

The key to success is knitting a swatch before starting to determine the gauge. Once I did that, I loved the pattern. The increases/decreases create a neat pattern and the huge stretch of knitting is meditative and rewarding. I will for sure make more of this hat.