Materials:

• Worsted weight yarn in two strongly contrasting colors:
  • Approximately 5-6 oz. of Main Color (called Color A or "black" for purposes of mosaic knitting);
  • Approximately 2 oz. of Contrast Color (called Color B or "white");

• Needles:
  • US size 8 or 9 (5-5.5 mm), or size you normally use for worsted weight yarn, one 16: circular needle and one set short dp needles;
  • 16" circular needle US size 6 (4 mm), or two sizes smaller than size you have chosen above.

Pattern Stitch: Chart for Simulated Basketweave mosaic pattern stitch given on previous page.

Instructions: Measure wearer's head circumference. This is the length you will need to make the mosaic strip.

Measure the wearer's head from earlobe to earlobe, over the top of the hat, and divide this number of inches by 2. This is the desired hat depth.

Using larger circular needle but working back and forth on it, cast on 25 sts with Color B ("white"), knit one row, and then commence with the Simulated Basketweave mosaic pattern stitch chart; work in garter stitch for maximum stretch in hat's cuff. When strip is the desired length, bind off. Seam or graft short ends to form a "tube." This "tube" is the hat's turned-back cuff.

With larger circular needle and with right side of hat's cuff facing you, pick up 1 st EOR along edge of cuff. Place a marker. Purl one round. Knit 1 rnd, adjusting (by decreasing or increasing) the number of sts to a multiple of 4. Work in K2, P2 ribbing until 1" short of desired hat depth.

Begin decreasing for top of hat as follows, switching to dp needles when necessary:

Rnd 1: *K2 tog, p2; rep from * around.
Rnd 2: K1, P2 around.
Rnd 3: Sl marker off needle, k1, place marker back on needle, *p1, p2 tog;
       rep from * around.
Rnd 4: Purl around.
Rnd 5: P2 tog around.

Rep last rnd until 10-20 sts rem. Cut yarn and draw through all sts.

Add a Reverse Stockinette Stitch edging to other edge of cuff as follows: with smaller circular needles and with right side of cuff facing you, pick up 1 st EOR around second edge of cuff. Purl two or three rnds. Bind off in purl.

You have been working the body of the hat inside out. That is, although the cuff has its right side facing you, the wrong side of the body of the hat is facing you. Hide all ends on the wrong sides. Once hat is completed, turn it "inside out" so that the hat's body's right side is facing you and the mosaic cuff has its wrong side facing you. Turn the cuff back over the lower part of the hat's body. Add pompom if desired. The hat off the head may look a bit strange, but once on, should fit comfortable snug.