Note on Hat Sizes: The recommended gauge of 4.25 sts =1” will give you finished brim circumferences of 19.75 (22.5, 25.5)”, but you can adjust hat size to in-between sizes by using a different gauge. Keeping to the same instructions, here are your likely results based on different gauges.

4 sts = 1” will give you a hat that is 21 (24, 27)”
4.5 sts = 1” will give you a hat that is 18.6 (21.3, 24)”
4.75 sts = 1” will give you a hat that is 17.75 (20.25, 22.75)”

The pictured multi colorway uses the following colors: Barley #189, Light Grey #06, Salt& Pepper #07, Buckwheat #04, Pacific Blue #106, Zephyr #111, Tiger’s Eye Mix #92, Concord Grape #112, Carob #116 (C9).

If you are making both the hat and the cowl, double the amounts of colors 2 through 9.

For variegated version: Noro Silk Garden (45% Silk, 45% Mohair, 10% Wool; 109 yds/50g skein), 1.5 skeins for each project.

For solid version: Berroco Ultra Alpaca, one skein for each project.

If you are on a budget or stash busting, a very successful version of this hat can be worked out of 7 colors, which I think is the minimum for the multi-colored effect. Fewer than seven colors might result with too many close neighbors of matching colors. You need 100 yds of the main color, and then less than 50 yds each of the rest. You can work the hat in one color, as seen in the photo of the Indigo Mix version (dark blue), or the Noro Silk Garden (variegated) version. Treating the shell rows each as single-colored stripes is also an effective way to keep the number of colors to a minimum.

A Youtube video for the basic technique (borrowing from my Eddy Wrap pattern) can be found here. It’s for the same shell technique, but worked over 14 stitches.