Easiest Hat Ever!
These are great for charity and craft fair knitting. Also fun for teams and family get togethers.
(C)2022 Kathryn Doubrley www.theanswerlady.com

SIZES finish to 14, 16, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23" in circumference and 6, 7, 7.5, 8, 8, 8.5, 9" from top of crown to bottom of hem. These sizes fit babies to xl adults.

YARN, GAUGE & MACHINE
#4 yarn, any bulky machine, 4.25 stitches/6 rows/"

CAST ON NOTES
For bottom up hats, any neat cast on is acceptable. For top down the weaving cast on is required. A movie showing the 16" hat both bottom up and top down features an easy weaving cast on. See it at the link below.

STYLE NOTES
Top down version has a rolled brim. Bottom up version may be a rolled brim or a hung hem.

TOP DOWN: Cast on 62[70, 78, 87, 90, 94, 98] stitches using the weaving cast on. Knit 38[40, 42, 46, 46, 50, 52] rows at main stitch size. Knit the brim: Reduce stitch size 1 whole number every row until the stitches are as small as will knit well. Keep knitting at that size until a total of 7 brim rows have been knitted. Return to main stitch size or larger. Bind off using any neat method.

BOTTOM UP WITH ROLLED BRIM: Cast on 62[70, 78, 87, 90, 94, 98] stitches. Knit the brim: Reduce stitch size 1 whole number every row until the stitches are as small as will knit well. Keep knitting at that size until a total of 8 brim rows have been knitted. Return to main stitch size. Knit 38[40, 42, 46, 46, 50, 52] rows. Snip the yarn leaving a tail longer than the width of the piece of knitting. Use a yarn needle to run the tail through the stitches in order. Remove the knitting from the machine.

BOTTOM UP WITH HUNG HEM: Cast on 62[70, 78, 87, 90, 94, 98] stitches. Knit the brim: Reduce stitch size 1-2 whole numbers. Knit 12 rows. Lift the cast on and hang it on the working needles. Return to main stitch size. Knit 32[36, 38, 40, 40, 44, 46] rows. Snip the yarn leaving a tail longer than the width of the piece of knitting. Use a yarn needle to run the tail through the stitches in order. Remove the knitting from the machine. Pull the hem lengthwise to make it look nice.

FINISHING ALL VERSIONS: use either the weaving cast on yarn tail or the final yarn tail to gather the hat crown in tightly. Stitch across the "o" that formes to secure it. Seam the edges together. There is 1 column of stitches allowed on each edge for seaming. For rolled hems, reverse the seam for the bottom 1.25" so that the purl side looks neatest. The brim will hide the seam. Stitch the roll in place at the seam to secure it. For hung hems, seam the 2 layers separately.