Need a quick Christmas gift? Find a favourite skein of DK yarn (we love this hand-dyed pure wool from Baa Baa Brighouse) and cast on this lacy hat. This circular cast on is a clever way to start knitting in the round without leaving a hole – if you haven’t tried it before there are tutorials you can follow online, or try a variation on the technique at http://techknitting.blogspot.co.uk/2007/02/casting-on-from-middle-disappearing.html.