by Alexandra Tinsley

This hat is designed to show off the subtle striping achieved by using fractal spinning (Mandelbrot being the mathematician who coined the term “fractal.”*)

The brim is knit horizontally in a simple, easily-memorized textured stitch and the crown is picked up along the edge and quickly decreased for a flat-topped, slightly slouchy hat. Top with a sizable coordinating pom-pom for maximum impact.

*It has nothing really to do with the Mandelbrot set, though. Unless, of course, you make matching mittens and a scarf. Badumching!

SIZE
Adult S[M, L]
Shown in size M.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Circumference: 20[22, 24] inches
Length: 9.5 inches (excluding pompom)

MATERIALS
Fiber
Woolgatherings Handpainted Yarn and Fibers [100% Blue Face Leicester Top] color: unnamed; 4.2 oz

	Spinning Tool: Ashford Kiwi [Scotch Tension], Ashford Kiwi Jumbo Flyer and Bobbin (used with regular whorl.)

Finished Yarn:
Ply: 2 plies, plied from center-pull ball
Wraps per inch: 6
Yardage used: approx 80 yards

Drafting Method:
Some sort of hodge-podge self-taught medium-draw, worsted. Larger than inchworm, smaller than long draw. The fiber was prepped for fractal spinning, which is described in more detail in this article.

Commercial Yarn Alternative
Malabrigo Chunky, [100% merino wool; 3.5oz/104 yards]; 1 skein
OR
Mirasol Sulka, [60% merino, 20% alpaca, 20% silk; 50g/55 yards]; 2 skeins
Note: Pompom shown is in Malabrigo Rios [100% superwash merino, 100g/210 yards]; color “Lettuce”, less than 1 skein

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
16-inch US #10.75/7mm circular needle for working in the round: or DPNs, 1 extra-long circular or 2 circulars, as you prefer
extra needle of similar size for 3-needle bind off

Tools
pom pom maker if desired
yarn needle

GAUGE

PATTERN NOTES
[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

DIRECTIONS
Cast on 14 stitches.

Pattern row: [K2, p2] 3 times, k2.

Repeat Pattern row until piece measures 14.5[16, 17.5] inches unstretched (should stretch comfortably to 20[22, 24] inches – if not, continue until it does).

Work 2 more rows in pattern. 

Bind off.

Seam the cast on and bound off edges together.

With RS facing, and using 16-inch circular needle, pick up and knit 54[60, 66] stitches around one side of the brim.

Distribute sts as you prefer and join for working in the round.  Place a marker for the start of round.

Knit 9 rounds.

Note: As you work the crown decreases, switch to DPNs, magic loop or two circulars as circumference gets too small to work comfortably on 16 inch needle.

Crown round 1: [K4, k2tog] around.  45[50, 55] sts.
Crown rounds 2, 4, 6, 8: Knit around.
Crown round 3: [K3, k2tog] around. 36[40, 44] sts.
Crown round 5: [K2, k2tog] around. 27[30, 33] sts.
Crown round 7: [K1, k2tog] around. 18[20,22] sts.
Crown round 9: [K2tog] around. 9[10, 11] sts.

Cut yarn leaving a 6-inch tail and draw through remaining stitches, pull to close.

FINISHING
Weave in ends. Block very gently. If desired, make a pompom and sew to crown of hat.

Alex knits, crochets, spins, and otherwise screws around and ignores her wasted psychology degree over at dull-roar.com. She enjoys cookies and dog-wrangling, but not so much bio-writing.