FO: Fartlek hat

This is another hat from stashed yarn, another knitspot pattern, and I have to say, I'm not impressed with the pattern.  The hat came out fine after some blocking but I never thought I'd need to block a hat.  I mean, it's a hat, what's to block?  Follow the pattern and you'll find out.

Pattern: Fartlek from knitspot
Yarn: Grignasco Merino Gold DK
Needles: US4 and US5
Duration:9th July to 19th July

It's a hat with a folded-back brim, which should be simple.  But once you've completed the patterned brim, the pattern has you do 12 rows in purl.  Then either continue in purl, or change to knit.  But if you do change to knit, those purl rows rows bunch up and curl and have to be blocked out.  On a HAT.  If I knit this again I'd switch to knit after two purl rows, like my Landguard Hat pattern, because that makes the brim turn in the right place and stay there, and doesn't bunch up and look ugly and have to get blocked out.  Have I mentioned I hate blocking?

The yarn is one of those blue/purple colours that's impossible to photograph accurately, but it looks nice.  I didn't have any plan in mind when I bought it and I seem to buy random yarn in hat amounts.  I've knit seven hats this year so far.