Foliage
By Emilee Mooney
This lace hat was inspired by my two favorite things about the fall: cool, crisp weather, and beautifully-colored leaves. Worked in either worsted or chunky Malabrigo, it is soft and warm, and perfect for covering your ears on blustery autumn days. The subtle variations in the kettle dyed yarn enhance the rustic leaf pattern. This hat is worked from the top down, and the increases for the crown shaping are integrated into the lace pattern. The Leaf Lace pattern is the Openwork Leaf Pattern from A Treasury of Knitting Patterns by Barbara G. Walker, adapted to work in the round.
Dimensions: Circumference, unstretched: 17 inches. Will stretch to comfortably fit up to 24 inches.

Gauge: 21 sts, 24 rows = 4 in

Yarn:

Needles:

Crown:
Row 1: k1, yo, k1
Row 2: k3
Row 3: k1, yo, k1, yo, k1
Row 4: k5
Row 5: k1, yo, k3, yo, k1
Row 6: k1, k5, k1
Row 7: k1, yo, k5, yo, k1
Row 8: k2, k5, k2
Row 9: k1, yo, k1, yo, k5, yo, k1, yo, k1
Row 10: k13
Row 11: k1, yo, k3, yo, k1, cdd, k1, yo, k3, yo, k1
Row 12: k1, k13, k1
Row 13: k1, yo, k5, yo, cdd, yo, k5, yo, k1
Row 14: k2, k13, k2
Row 15: k1, yo, k1, yo, k2, k2tog, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, skp, k2, yo, k1, yo, k1
Row 16: k21
Row 17: k1, yo, k3, yo, k1, cdd, k1, yo, k3, yo, k1, cdd, k1, yo, k3, yo, k1
Row 18: k23
Row 19: k1, yo, k5, yo, cdd, yo, k5, yo, cdd, yo, k5, yo, k1

Leaf Lace:
Row 1: k2, cdd, k2, yo, k1, yo
Row 2: Knit
Row 3: k1, cdd, k1, yo, k3, yo
Row 4: Knit
Row 5: cdd, yo, k5, yo
Row 6: Knit
Row 7: yo, k1, yo, k2, cdd, k2
Row 8: Knit
Row 9: yo, k3, yo, k1, cdd, k1
Row 10: Knit
Row 11: yo, k5, yo, cdd
Row 12: Knit

Directions
Set up
Use DPN 1. Cast on 4 stitches. Leave a 6-inch tail from the cast-on.
Row 2 [WS]: p4
Row 3 [RS]: kfb, kfb, kfb, kfb. 8 stitches in row.

Arrange stitches as follows:
Join in round, being careful not to twist stitches.
After the first few rounds have been worked, place a safety pin or split ring marker in the work to indicate the beginning of the round.
Next round: Knit

Shape Crown
Rounds 1-19: work next row from Crown instruction 4 times
100 stitches in row.

Hat Body

On the next round, knit the last st on each needle together with first st of next needle, as follows:
Round 20:
The last st of the round will be worked together with the first st of the round. Place a st marker after this st to indicate beginning of round.
Arrange stitches as follows:

Rounds 21-32: work next row from Leaf Lace instruction to end
Repeat rounds 21-32 2 additional times.

Ribbed Brim

Arrange stitches as follows:

Rounds 1-8: repeat [p1, k1] to end

Next round: bind off all stitches. Bind off in pattern.

Block gently, or do not block at all. The unblocked lace gives a more rustic texture, and the lace pattern will open up when the hat is worn.