Ooh, thank you! Made it top down, with more or less random increases until it fit my peanut-pinhead (same size as my dad's, luckily). Couldn't be easier.

Easiest possible make-it-up-as-you-go-along hat pattern: For this hat, the stitch is SC in BLO (back loop only). You could use whatever you like. You could change stitches as you go. Nice to have a stretchy stitch like SC/BLO.

Hat is made from the top down in a spiral. Make a double loop of yarn and SC over it 8 times. Pull up the loose end to make the 8 SCs go into a circle. (I think this is called Magic Loop.)

For the 2d round: Make two SCs in each SC (all SCs from here on out are SC in BLO). Two in one: these are increases. I put a stitch marker where I started the round so I can keep track, more or less, of where the rounds "begin" and "end," but just keep going in a spiral, don't join, don't chain and start a new row (or, hey, you could if you wanted).

Make next rounds same as Round 2 except make fewer increases. If the "disk" shape gets ruffly edges, make fewer increases. If it "cups" then you don't have enough increases in a round. The more rounds you make, the fewer increases you need to keep your disk flat. Try to space them more or less evenly.

Keep going until the disk (mine ended up slightly cupped, not totally flat, but that's okay) is about an inch less in width than the top of your (or wearer's) head: when it is, stop increasing. Continue to make rounds for the sides of the hat, without increases: keep going until you think it's done.

This hat brim folds up twice for a triple-thickness brim. When my dad put it on, he flipped up the back over brim one more time. Stylin'!

Maybe I should photoshop in some Swedish fjords, or the statue of Leif Erickson looking out to sea!

Thank you! Dear old dad just improves with age; he was 77 the day I took that picture. I think the blur adds to the effect!

I'm on a roll with hats; I have completed one and started two more in the past week! Different though; made with "vees" (DC, ch1, DC), vee atop vee, with a shell (2DC, ch1, 2DC) thrown in at regular intervals when I need an increase round (then you do a vee between every pair of shells or vees or shell/vee, and also into the chain space of the shell). Same yarn. Very stretchy, lighter-weight hat than dad's.

Thank you! I wetblocked this hat and didn't pat it into shape well enough -- it st-r-e-t-c-h-e-d a lot! I tried it on when it was still damp and it covered my entire head past my chin. Nuh-uh, no pictures! So I threw it into the dryer with some sheets that were already dry and let it tumble on low for a while. Came out great -- the stitches softened and fluffed up a bit from the way they look here and it resumed a more suitable size.

'nother hat picture to come. Wonderful "Tweed" yarn (from Georges Picaud, more importantly, from a bargain bin); it is is 3 plies, one chenille, one rayon (I think) with slubs, one fuzzy wool, all 3 in changing colors. Made a very simple cap.