Leaf Beret: Plan B

Remember the green leaf beret I talked about here? I was heavily modifying a pattern to make a beret to match my Green Thumb gloves.
I ran out of yarn and wanted to rework the pattern. I ended the post with "until I have the energy for that, the hat can stay on the plate."

Well, it stayed on the plate for a while. Then it was stored with my wool stash for a while. I wanted to work on it for Project Spectrum's green month in June but that didn't happen either.

Then I got a notice from Vogue Knitting that they were having a pattern sale and one of the ones that was shown was this hat:

Pattern link.

I immediately recognized the true match to my Green Thumb gloves. This was it! So I checked that the pattern would work with the yarn I was using, both for weight of yarn and how much I had left and decided it should work. By the next day, the pattern was purchased, downloaded, and the old hat was frogged away. (I put the end on my yarn winder and it was gone like buttah.)

The hat itself got off to a bit of a rough start. I cast on the 120 stitches the pattern recommended--and did a very fine looking Turkish cast on, I might add--but it was way too big. I know it's supposed to be a bit of a slouchy hat, but it has to actually stay on my head. So I ripped it out again and restarted with 100 stitches. That is feeling much better.

Once I had the ribbing and chart done,

I started to get a little worried about having enough yarn. (The pattern called for two skeins; I had 1.75. Plus when you're substituting yarn, you just never know.) I did not want to work on this and then run out with a few rows to go on the decreases. When you're working bottom up, it's not like you can decide to make it a little shorter and just leave a hole at the top of the hat!

So I took the other end of the yarn and a set of dpns in the same size as the circs and started the hat again from the top. I did all the increases until the number of stitches matched the number on the main body of the hat. Now I know I will not run out before my hat has a top to it. In fact, here it is,

ready and waiting. It doesn't hurt that I also like the look of a top down hat better. I find the Icord tab is an elegant way to start.

I also was pleased with the amount of yarn I have still to work with. I should be able to make the hat good and slouchy (one of my original goals). The pattern says I have two more inches to go on the body. I think I'll get it in, but if not I can just work until I have only enough yarn to Kitchener the two parts together.

I know, that's a lot of Kitchener. But I don't mind.