Crochet Elf Hat (adult) with size adjustments

This pattern was designed in response to Stitch11's 0-3 Month Elf Hat. She was kind enough to let me use her photo for a giveaway but since DK yarn is the most common/cheap yarn in NZ and the winner wanted an adult size I adjusted the pattern to suit.

Materials

DK yarn in colours of you choice, I used Waikato colours per winners request. Red, Yellow and Black.
4.00 mm hook
scissors
yarn needle

Notes:  You can carry colours or finish off after each colour and re join new colour (if you finish off at each colour change I would advise to weave in ends as you go. The way I will be changing colour is; when you finish the last stitch in one colour and are about to join to the ch 2 instead of pulling through the colour you are working with pull through the colour of the next row.

For those where worsted weight is the most common yarn I would suggest going down a hook size and measuring your increase rounds. More on this later in the pattern. This is the measurement chart I work from when making my hats http://www.slugsontherefrigerator.com/home/2011/10/how-to-design-a-hat.html

Pattern

With red,

Round 1: Starting with the magic circle. Ch 2, hdc into the circle 11 times. Join with a sl st to top of ch 2. (12 hdc)

Round 2-4: Ch 2, hdc in each stitch. Join with a sl st to top of ch 2. (12 hdc)

Join yellow,

Round 5-8: Ch 2, hdc in each stitch. Join with a sl st to top of ch 2. (12 hdc)

Join black,

Round 9-12: Ch 2, hdc in each stitch. Join with a sl st to top of ch 2. (12 hdc)

Join red,

Round 13: Ch 2, hdc in same stitch as ch 2, hdc in next 5. 2 hdc in next stitch, hdc in next 5. Join with a slip stitch to top of ch 2. (14 hdc)

Round 14-16: Ch 2, hdc in each stitch. Join with a sl st to top of ch 2. (14 hdc)

Join yellow,

Round 17-20: Ch 2, hdc in each stitch. Join with a sl st to top of ch 2. (14 hdc)

Join black

Round 21-24: Ch 2, hdc in each stitch. Join with a sl st to top of ch 2. (14 hdc)

Join red,

Round 25: Ch 2, hdc in same stitch as ch 2, hdc in next 6. 2 hdc in next stitch, hdc in next 6. Join with a slip stitch to top of ch 2. (16 hdc)

Round 26-28: Ch 2, hdc in each stitch. Join with a sl st to top of ch 2. (16 hdc)

Join yellow,

Round 29-32: Ch 2, hdc in each stitch. Join with a sl st to top of ch 2. (16 hdc)

Join black,

Round 33-36: Ch 2, hdc in each stitch. Join with a sl st to top of ch 2. (16 hdc)

Join red,

Round 37: Ch 2, hdc in same stitch as ch 2, hdc in next 7. 2 hdc in next stitch, hdc in next 7. Join with a slip stitch to top of ch 2. (18 hdc)

Round 38: Ch 2, hdc in same stitch as ch 2, hdc in next 8. 2 hdc in next stitch, hdc in next 8. Join with a slip stitch to top of ch 2. (20 hdc)

Round 39: Ch 2, hdc in same stitch as ch 2, hdc in next stitch. *2 hdc in next stitch, hdc in next stitch around* Repeat between *. (30)

Round 40: Ch 2, hdc in same stitch as ch 2, hdc in next 2 stitches. *2 hdc in next stitch, hdc in next 2 stitches around* Repeat between *. (40)

Join Yellow,

Round 41: Ch 2, hdc in same stitch as ch 2, hdc in next 3 stitches. *2 hdc in next stitch, hdc in next 3 stitches around* Repeat between *. (50)

Round 42: Ch 2, hdc in same stitch as ch 2, hdc in next 4 stitches. *2 hdc in next stitch, hdc in next 4 stitches around* Repeat between *. (60)

Round 43: Ch 2, hdc in same stitch as ch 2, hdc in next 5 stitches. *2 hdc in next stitch, hdc in next 5 stitches around* Repeat between *. (70)

Round 44: Ch 2, hdc in same stitch as ch 2, hdc in next 6 stitches. *2 hdc in next stitch, hdc in next 6 stitches around* Repeat between *. (80)

Join black,

Round 45: Ch 2, hdc in same stitch as ch 2, hdc in next 15 stitches. *2 hdc in next stitch, hdc in next 15 stitches* Repeat between *. (85)

Increase rows should measure 6.5 inches in diameter.

 If you need a bigger/smaller size change the amount of increase rounds you do and do the same with the amount of rounds you do for the length.

For example if you want a toddler hat I would stop increasing in row 43. Then keeping with the 4 rounds of each colour I would work until the hat measured 6.5 inches from the bottom of the tail (NOT THE TOP) remembering to do the last rounds in sc. 

Need a adult males size? I would change round 45 to -  Ch 2, hdc in same stitch as ch 2, hdc in next 7 stitches. *2 hdc in next stitch, hdc in next 7 stitches around* Repeat between *. (90)

Then I would work keeping the pattern until the hat measured 9.5 inches from the bottom of the tail (NOT THE TOP)

Round 46-48: Ch 2, hdc in each stitch. Join with a sl st to top of ch 2. (85)

Join red,

Round 49-52: Ch 2, hdc in each stitch. Join with a sl st to top of ch 2. (85)

Join yellow,

Round 53: Ch 2, hdc in each stitch. Join with a sl st to top of ch 2. (85)

Round 54-56: Ch 1, sc around. Join to first sc with a slip stitch (85)

Join black,

Round 57: Ch 1, sc around. Join to first sc with a slip stitch (85)

Finish off, weave in ends

Make a pom pom for the top.