Dryas octopetala, an alpine flowering shrub, sports 8-petalled flowers—this seemed like the perfect (albeit slightly awkward) name for this flower-encircled design.

The classic Fair Isle motifs increase in complexity, making them perfect for beginners—knitters with more experience will find it easy to complete this design.

This slouchy hat pattern is offered in six different color combinations of a luxurious merino/cashmere fingering-weight yarn:

• flannel gray and bronze Granite Outcrop
• soft gray-blue Foggy Morning
• bright pink, orange, and green Rose Garden
• mossy green with pops of purple and pink Froggy Went a’Courting
• bright turquoise, green, and amber San Juans Summer
• tonal blue and pink Folkloric

Each color way has from five to seven colors. But there’s also a blank chart if you want to express your own color sense!

Instructions for making the pom pom are included.

Materials needed:
16” circular size 1 needle for ribbing
16” circular size 3 needle for body, plus needles for knitting the top of the hat: double-pointed, a second circular for the two-circular method, or a very long circular for the magic loop as you prefer
markers
tapestry needle