Pattern Reviews: Diamond Ridges Hat

It's starting to get colder again, and we at Dream Stitching just can't wait! This got me thinking about scarves, hats and all of the other fun creations I could make to keep myself warm (and fashionable) this fall. As I had never tried making hats before, this was a new and exciting challenge for me, and I knew just the hat I wanted to try: the Diamond Ridges Hat by Kristy Ashmore.

I had been eyeing this pattern for a long time, and once I found the perfect yarn I just could not resist! This amazing diamond ridged hat has a simple, stylish elegance. The lovely diamond pattern gives the beanie a warm and cozy texture ideal for keeping the weather at bay.

The pattern is free and is located here. 

Now though the hat itself is beautiful, I had a little trouble with the actual pattern. Below you will find my problems and the ways I found around it:

• Problem 1: Rounds 1-4 went easily enough. By following the written pattern I was able to move through these fairly quickly. This changed when I hit Round 5. I found the directions hard to follow and confusing because the instructions on the "cluster" were not very clear. 
• Solution: I was able to find some EXCELLENT YouTube tutorials that walked me through the rounds. Links to these are as follows:
• Tianna Homer does Row 5 and Row 6 in her videos.
• Bucket & Twine does Row 5, Row 6, Row 7 and Rows 8, 9, 10 in her videos.

• Problem 2: I found that the hat ended up being slightly small. I can still wear it, but it is a little tight. Either this is because I stitch too tightly or because my head is bigger than the pattern is meant for... I'm going with I stitch too tightly! Note: I purposely made my so it did not cover my ears as that bothers me, so that is not due to the size of the hat.
• Solution: The easiest thing would just be to go up 1 hook size when making it. I thought about adding stitches to the rounds in the beginning, but with the small a difference it would not make sense. So, if you are also a tight crocheter, use a bigger hook when working on this and you should be fine.

All in all, other that the pattern being a little confusing to start with, this hat turned out just as amazing as I had imagined! Once you get in the rhythm of the pattern it just flies by. I hope you enjoy this pattern as much as I have, and prepare for plenty of complements on your newest accessory!