January's Head Warmer

Head Warmer from the January 1976 Workbasket Magazine review:
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2.5 stars out of 5 - It has some issues that can be fixed and it results it a servicable hat.
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Yarns: Unger Fluffy in Pink, Caron Simply Soft in Gray Heather.  This pattern has you hold the two strands together.

​Hook: Size I

Gauge: 3 rounds = 2 inches (Though it didn’t specify I’m pretty sure it was a radius measurement and not a diameter measurement)

First the good things:

• This hat was quick to make
• It looks ok
• My gauge was right on for the yarns I chose

​Now the bad things:

• This is poorly written
• Weird gap in brim
• The hat is pretty small

This pattern is done in the round with each round finishing with a slip stitch to join.  There are only 16 rounds so it’s pretty quick to make.   The biggest issue is that they give stitch counts at the end of the instructions for each round and they aren’t always right.   If you’re experienced you’ll know that it won’t really matter for a hat of this size and the stitch pattern doesn’t need you to keep a specific number of stitches. 

Here’s how the stitch count goes by round:

1. (You’ll have either chained 4 and joined or used a magic circle).   Chain 3 and do 15 dc into the ring, slip stitch to join.  They say the chain 3 counts as a stitch and do not give a stitch count at the end of this but it’s easy to see that it’s 16 (15dc + chain 3)
2. They tell you to chain 3 and dc in same stitch that you joined, 2 dc in each stitch around, join for 32 stitches.  They don’t say the chain 3 is a stitch here but based on the stitch count it is.  So far we’re ok.
3. We’re switching to single crochet in the back loop.  Chain 1 and single crochet in the back loop of the next 2 double crochets and do 2 single crochets in the next.  Keep doing that pattern around for 42 stitches.  This works if you don’t stop at the last increase and do 2 more single crochets to finish the round.
4. This Round has you chain 3 and double crochet in the back loop of each single crochet in round 3 so you should only have 42 stitches.. maybe 43 if you count the chain 3 and dc in the first sc.   The pattern says you should have 44 stitches.   I forced it to 44 stitches by doing a stitch in the joining from the row before
5. This round increases every 4th stitch. The pattern says this round has 52 stitches and you could get that if you only had 42 in the 4th round but if you have 43 or 44 you’ll get 53 or 54 – depending on whether you count the chain 3. 

6-11: From this point on you’re keeping the stitch count the same for the remaining rows.
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At round 12 you start doing double crochet in the back loop going back and forth but you don’t join the rounds.  It very clearly says, “Do not join” for  round 12.   It does not say that for rounds 13-15 so I did join them.   You fold back the last rounds of the hat for the brim.  It never says to sew up the unjoined round (or rounds if you assumed 13-15 were the same as 12).  You end up with this odd gap:

I sewed that gap up after I took the photo.  
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I don’t like making pompons so I skipped that.  Here’s the finished hat and me trying it on for size.

​This is a pretty small hat and I don’t have a large head so I’d argue that this is more a child or teen sized hat.
 
Whew!  That was a lot for a hat!  
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It's a pretty quick hat to make and I'd probably make it again ignoring the stitch counts and joining the rows in the brim.   I think I'd also go up a hook size to make it a little bigger even if it doesn't match the gauge.