Ok, folks, I can take a hint. My two Top-Down, No Math hats account for over half the hits I have ever gotten on this site. So, I will give you more. Yes! A new Top-Down, No Math hat, this time aptly named: FourSquare. It looks like a hot-cross bun, doesn’t it?
Here we go:
Yarn: Same as the others, yarn is whatever you like, about a hat’s worth. In the sample, I used Cascade EcoWool, which is lovely stuff.
Needles: Needles should be appropriate to the yarn. You’ll need to start either on dpns or a magic loop. By the end, you’ll either need more/longer dpns, or a circular.
Notes: We’re going to use two different increases. The first is the same nearly invisible increase we used before. The second is the same idea, but heading left. I’m going to point you to this lovely tutorial from the Twist Collective, and use her terminology: RLI and LLI. (I’m told that link is now dead, but this one should work.)
Ready? Let’s begin.
CO 8. Join in the round, being careful not to twist.
Round 1: K all, placing a marker after stitches 1, 3, 5, and 7.
Round 2: [RLI, K2, LLI] 4 times (16 st)
Round 3 and all odd rounds: K
Round 4 and all even rounds: [K to 1 st before st marker, RLI, K2, LLI] 4 times, K to end of round.
So, here’s the weird part: even though you’re working 2 st around each marker, the result looks like a single st going the other direction. If you want the cross to be bulkier, you can work an extra stitch or two around each st marker (inside the increases).
Keep going until you have the circumference you want, then work plain stockinette until you feel like doing ribbing, have enough for it to curl under, or run out of yarn.
BO loosely. My favorite trick is to go up a few needle sizes for the bind-off row.
If you like this or any of my other patterns, would you drop me a comment letting me know? Nice comments make my day. Thanks.
Suzyn J. Gonzalez 
I am from turkey,istanbul.I was in problem to find a proper instruction and YOU helped me so much.thank you very much.I hope everything will be as you wish to be.thanks again.
Thanks!! I’m constantly amazed how something as simple as a little knitting pattern can zoom around the world in no time at all!
Well, Ravelry has been quite the yarn uniter, hasn’t it? I just queued this & have several manly men that would love it. I also like Jared Flood’s Turn A Square, but your increases are smoother than his decreases. A different look is all! Thanks for the free pattern, it’s always appreciated.
yarnobsessed on Ravelry 😉
Hey, thanks! I was inspired by someone on Ravelry who tried to recreate Turn a Square from the top down – I said… Hey, I bet I could do that!!!
Thank you for making your patterns available for the Period of Purple Crying knit-ins.
Well, I have to say, I have knitted many a hat, but always with the “so when do I start decreasing so that it is the right depth — not over the eyes, not failing to cover the ears”. Your pattern is the ANSWER! I’ve just knitted my first top-down sweater — a Heidi Kirrmaier pattern — and feel like I’ve seen the light. It makes so much sense to knit from the top down. Many thanks indeed for your design. I will try to post the results on Ravelry — that will be another first.
Best wishes & thanks again from London!
Very happy to hear that it worked for you!
I’m a little confused. At what point do you slip the marker in the RLI,K2,LLI I sequence? You mentioned that we are working 2 stitches around each marker, but I don’t see where SM is notated. Since no one else is asking this question, I must have really missed something. Other than that I love this post and love having learned the lifted increases and so much else (I even happen to have some Cascade Eco Wool in my stash.)
Hello! The markers wind up between the two knit stitches. So, RLI, K1, SM, K1, LLI. I hope that helps you.
Thanks again, as per Revelry!
Even before I start, I love this pattern’s no pressure approach. I need to knit a hat for a very big headed (and hearted) man, and this will be just the thing. Sending you many thanks from London.
Your comment made me smile! Give the Queen a wave from me.
I’ve made 2 hats, knitting a third, and been asked to make three more by people (they wanted to pay me but I said no, mostly so I don’t have to feel rushed or guilty if they have some tiny flaw!) Using your top-down no math hat patterns as a guide! I absolutely love it and have so much fun knitting it. Thank you!
Hi, Jamie. I’m so happy to hear that the pattern has been useful to you! I’d encourage you to consider that your effort is worthy of compensation – no perfection required! Thanks for taking the time to comment – it really makes my day.
I did a hat similar to this… Loved the pattern. But if I remember correctly the beginning was easier… somehow!
Wish I had saved it… thought I would remember how… but sadly not.
Is yours a variation of an earlier pattern?
There are a couple of other top down no math hats. Poke around this site or look me up on Ravelry. Lately I’ve been using a circular cast on that was fiddly to learn but creates a really nice clean center point. Search youtube for examples.
Love your writing style! I actually enjoyed reading the pattern.
Hey, thanks! You made my day.
I never even considered a crown down hat – brilliant!
Thanks for sharing your patterns. I have been knitting for a long time but have never done a top down pattern before, I’ve always done bottom up. Now I can try these (Muselbueogh) ? Hats everyone is talking about. :-}