From Stitch 'N Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker:



Fun.  Easy.  Proud.  Warm.  That’s what I want in a good wool hat, so that’s what I set out to make.  There’s nothing like a fun hat to help you brave a gray day.  All those feathered hats in fall fashion shows made me wonder how to make a hat with the same bold colors as peacock feathers, but in wool.  It had to be felted to make it more rigid and sculptural as well as warmer than a regular crocheted hat.  I hit on this Noro colorway, combined it with a shell stitch, a lot of hot soapy water and agitation, and Strut was born.  The shell stitch is easy and fast, and it creates a scalloped edge that lets the color variations bob in and out in each row.  It also felts well into a slightly quilted effect.  This hat takes only a few hours to crochet, and an hour or so to felt.  It would make a great gift--if you didn’t keep forgetting to give it away.