Charisma hat - free pattern!

I am obviously into the chunky weight yarn thing today because I have another free pattern I would like to share! I can't be the only person to have come up with something like this, so I apologize to everyone else out there who thinks like me. I really do. No one should think like me. It's not...normal.

Moving on...don't you love my son's face in this pic? He was irritated that I was using him as a head model for what he called a "chick's hat." I asked him if he would still feel that way if it were in a different color. He said he would wear it if it were black, grey, red or something other than stripes. LOL! Well, there you go. A guy's point of view...from an 11 year old.

Charisma

Materials:
Approx. 3 oz bulky weight yarn
N hook

Time needed: 1 - 2 hours, tops. Works great as a last minute gift for that friend that just told you this morning she is stopping by and you missed her birthday last month, and, come to think of it, last year.

Notes: although I used self-striping yarn (which is undoubtedly uber-cool), any smooth solid color yarn will work well too.

Notes 2: I named this scarf Charisma because that's the yarn I used. I used the self-striping version called Sunny Day. It was my first time with it, and I must say, I really liked it!

Notes 3: Join each round with a sl st to first st made.

Directions:

Ch 4, sl st to first ch to create ring
Round 1: ch 1, *sc in ring, dc in ring* Repeat from * to * 3 more times. (8 st)
Round 2: ch 3, (counts as dc from here out), sc in same sp made as join. (Dc, sc) in next st and in each st around. (16 st)
Round 3: ch 1, *(Sc, dc), sc, (dc, sc), dc* Repeat from * to *, to end. (24 st)
Round 4: ch 3, sc in same sp made as join, dc next, sc. *(dc, sc), dc, sc* Repeat from * to * to end. (32 st)
Round 5: ch 1, *(Sc, dc), sc, dc, sc (dc, sc), dc, sc, dc* Repeat from * to *, to end. (40 st)
Round 6: ch 3, sc in same sp made as join, dc next, sc, dc, sc. *(dc, sc), dc, sc, dc, sc* Repeat from * to * to end. (48 st)
Round 7: ch 1, sc same sp made as join, dc next. *Sc, dc* Repeat from * to * to end. (48 st)
Round 8: ch 3, sc next st. *Dc, sc* Repeat from * to * to end. (48 st)
Round 9 - desired length. Note that in Rounds 7 and 8, all sc should be made in dc stitches and all dc should be made in sc stitches.
Ch 1, reverse sc around hat, if desired. F/O, weave in the ends, and you are DONE!