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Whether you call it a beanie, a watch cap, or a toque, a simple hat can be a knitter’s constant companion. Knitting a hat makes few demands on your attention, leaving you free to chat or watch a movie. A hat-in progress tucks easily into your daily tote bag, ready to occupy you during random idle moments.

This isn’t so much a pattern as it is a recipe for making a simple knit hat in any size using whatever yarn you please. Using your gauge and your head measurements, you’ll calculate how many stitches to cast on, when to begin shaping the crown, and how to work the crown shaping. The result is a hat custom designed by you, for you (or any knit-worthy person in your life).

This hat is knit in the round from the brim to the crown. Every aspect of this hat can be customized to suit you. Unlike most patterns, there is no specific finished size, gauge, yarn, or recommended needle size. You’ll determine the size of your hat based on the measurements of the intended wearer’s head. You’ll determine your gauge based on a swatch made with the yarn and needles of your choice.