I love texture and easy knitting. This fitted and not too slouchy hat with a rolled brim (because that they way I like it), is knit from the brim up and has a nice tight fabric and texture. You are welcome to make hats for charity but please contact me about buying the pattern if you are interested in selling the hats that are made using this pattern.

Step 1: Getting Started

The brim

Cast on 120 and join ends and mark the start of rounds. Knit 5 rounds with 4.0mm needles.

The hat

For the 6th round use the 4.5mm needles and knit 15 rounds.Turn the hat inside out so the purl-side faces out. Using the removable stich markers place markers every 10 stiches. You will have 12 groups of 10. These groups will be your 6 pleats and 6 gaps.

On the 16th round, get ready to make the pleats.

Step 2: Making the Pleats

Each pleat will be 10 stiches long and 5 rows on the top of the pleat and 5 rows on the bottom of the pleat. Using the small needles with long cable, pick stiches to make the first pleat. Skip over the gap and pick up another group of stiches, continue until you have seven groups of 10 stiches on the pleat holder needles.

Now, knit until the first stich on the pleat holder and the first stich on the active needle are lined up.
Pinch the knit fabric and hold the pleat holder and active needles together.

*Insert the active needle into both the active row and the pleat row and knit the two together. Continue to the end of the pleat. Knit until the next pleat and repeat*.

Step 3: Staggering the Pleats

Knit 20 rounds using the active needles. Turn the hat inside out so the purl-side faces out to pick up the next round of pleat stiches. You can use the removable stich markers but now you can see the pleats and the gaps and may not need them.

Step 4: The Decreases

Place 12 stich markers 10 stiches apart. **Knit until the last two stiches before the marker, then knit two together. Slip marker, repeat ** until end of row. (Making the decreases at the start of a marked section makes a counterclockwise swirl. Making the decreases at the end of a marked section makes a clockwise swirl.) Knit next row. Repeat decreases for 20 rows, then set up the last set of pleats on a knit row. Make this last set of pleats 6 stiches to be proportional to the decreases. Continue to knit and decrease until about 8 stiches are left. (I like the slightly pointed top. If you prefer a smooth top, stop before 8 stiches left.)