Subtle Hat

There’s nothing overstated or complex-looking about this hat, but it has a few hidden secrets.

For a start it has a novel, fun construction - why start at the bottom or top when you can start in the middle? And although much of it is knit flat (with a bit of circular knitting on the crown and brim), there is no seaming. It also has interesting changes in direction of the knitting, which might be lost on the non-knitter, but are intriguing for those in the know. The construction method also gives the hat a really great, flattering shape because of the (subtle) structure provided to the facric.

Its subtle patterning makes it a great unisex knit. My grey sample has a feminine twist provided by a soft-coloured (and, of course, subtle-toned) edge to the brim (this was a scrap of very beautiful hand-dyed hanspun). The construction method offers lots of options for using up scraps of colour for two colour versions or completely multicolored and totally unsubtle versions.