I was browsing through my copy of The Harmony Guide to Crochet Stitches in search of an adventure and came across the Zig-Zag Lozenge Stitch. I was so enamored by it that I had to adapt it into hat form, and this is what was spawned! I call it a Turtle Shell Hat because to me it looks like a turtle shell. I did this mostly by ear and I've never written a pattern before, so if anyone spots any errors or if anything confusing please point them out and I'll glady fix em.

Blogged Here: http://oddlyweird.blogspot.com/2008/01/turtle-shell-hat.html

Yarn:
CC1 Red Heart Super Saver – dark brown
CC2 Lion Brand Homespun – Prairie

Hook Size: J

Special Stitches:
Dc3tog or dc2tog (Lozenge Stitch)

I wrote this pattern for a medium-largish hat. As said in the notes, just change the increases and decreases where needed to fit your size.

No specific guage -- just make it so it fits!

You can change the size/fit of the hat by omitting or adding more of the increases and decreases indicated. I chose to decrease in the last row a little because I wanted it to fit the shape of my head more -- you don't have to do this.

Also, I used fairly bulky yarn for the lozenge stitch, but normal weight yarn for the hdc rows. You may have to adjust the pattern slightly if you use different weights.

1. CC1: sc 6 into magic ring, sl st in 1st st to join.

2. Ch 1, 2sc increase in each sc, sl st in 1st st to join.

3. Ch 2, hdc in 1st st, *skip 1 st, 1hdc, 1ch, 1hdc, 1ch, 1hdc* around, sl st in 1st st to join.

4. CC2: ch 3, 1dc in 1st st, *1ch, work 1dc3tog in next ch sp, 1 ch, work 2dc3tog (increases every other ch sp) in next ch sp; rep from * to last ch sp, ending in 1ch, dc2tog into top of tch, sl st in 1st st to join.

5. CC1: ch 2, hdc in 1st st, *skip 1 st, 1hdc, 1ch, 1hdc* around, sl st in 1st st to join.

6. CC2: ch 3, 1dc in 1st st, *1ch, work 1dc3tog in next ch sp; rep from * in 3 ch sp, work 2dc3tog in next ch sp*, rep from * to * (increases every 4th ch sp), sl st in 1st st to join.

7. CC1: Repeat Row 5

8. CC2: ch 3, 1dc in 1st st, *1ch, work dc3tog in next ch sp; rep from * to last ch sp, ending in 1ch, dc2tog into top of tch, sl st in 1st st to join.

9. CC1: Repeat Row 5
10. CC2: Repeat Row 8
11. CC1: Repeat Row 5
12. CC2: Repeat Row 8
13. CC1: Repeat Row 5

14. CC2: ch 3, 1dc in 1st st, *1 ch, work 1dc3tog in next ch sp*, work 2dc3tog in next 2 ch sp (decreases), rep from * to * to last 3 ch sp, work 2dc3tog in next 2 ch sp, 1 ch, work 1dc3tog in next ch sp, end in 1ch, dc2tog into top of tch, sl st in 1st st to join. Bind off and weave in ends. Ta dah! Finished!