Step 1
Gauge: Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice and Vanna’s Choice Baby: 14 sc = 4 inches Frosting: Unravel about 16 inches of Blue for sewing later. Do not break off. With the I hook, ch 26. Row 1: Sk first 2 chs, (2 hdc), hdc in next 21 chs, hdc2tog. (24 sts) Row 2: Ch 2, turn. Work in BLO, except work in both loops for the first and last stitch of the row. Hdc2tog, 21 hdc evenly, (2 hdc). (24 sts) Row 3: Ch 2, turn. Work in BLO, except work in both loops for the first and last stitch of the row. (2 hdc), 21 hdc evenly, hdc2tog. (24 sts) Repeat Rows 2 and 3 until you have 42 rows (or until the long edge reaches your desired unstretched-hat circumference). After Row 48, break off and leave 16 inches of yarn. Use this yarn to sew Row 48 to Row 1 to form a tube. Thread your tapestry needle with the yarn tail from the beginning and weave it in and out of the top of the tube, all around, spacing your stitches about 1-1/2 inches apart. Then pull on the yarn to draw the top of the hat closed. Tie down and weave your end through.
Step 2
Cake: With Brown and the I hook, ch 12. Row 1: Sk first ch, and sc in 11 chs. (11 sts) Row 2: Ch 1, turn. Work in BLO, except work in both loops for the first and last stitch of the row. Sc evenly across. (11 sts) Repeat Row 2 until you have 82 rows (or until the long edge reaches your unstretched-hat circumference). Break off and whipstitch your last row to your first row to form a tube.
Step 3
Cherry: With Red, ch 4, and sl st to make a loop. Round 1: Ch 1, 6 sc in loop. Don’t join your rounds. Use a marker if necessary. (6 sts) Round 2: (2 sc) in each sc. (12 sts) Round 3: [(2 sc), 1 sc] 6 times. (18 sts) Rounds 4–6: Work 18 sc evenly around. (18 sts) Round 7: [Sc2tog, sc] 6 times. (12 sts) I prefer for the “right” side of the stitches to appear on the outside of the cherry, so you probably need to flip your cherry inside out at this point. Weave the yarn tail from the beginning and sew the opening loop up a little if needed. You may also begin stuffing the cherry. I prefer to use yarn of the same color you’re working with instead of polyfill. This way, no white stuffing pokes out! You may want to unravel some red yarn before working your cherry so that you can just stuff the cherry without having to break off and get more yarn. Wrap yarn around 2 fingers over and over to make a little yarn wad to easily fit into the cherry. Round 8: Sc2tog 6 times. (6 sts) Break off, leaving about a foot and a half of yarn for sewing. Thread through a tapestry needle and weave through last 6 sts. Pull together to close up, tie off.
Step 4
Assembly: The brown cake will form the brim of your hat. “Pin” it in place to the bottom of the frosting by using scrap yarn pieces to loosely tie the cake onto the frosting in various places. Then, with Brown, sc the two pieces together, first inserting your hook into the cake, and then through the frosting. It’s okay that your stitches show here because this is actually going on the inside of the hat. Turn the hat inside out to reveal the new outside! Sew the cherry to the top of the hat. Secure it by sewing it down in a small circle rather than just at one point. Decorate! I prefer mini pom-pom sprinkles!