When I made the second of what is destined to be at least seven of Jenna Wingate’s stash-busters hat, I noticed that there was an annoying (to me) line that delineated the point at which every round had been joined, and I wanted something that did not detract from the design of the hat. What I wanted was a more perfect joining.

This is a common problem for crocheters when making a hat that is not worked in a continuous spiral and the line of small gaps can be seen here in this photo as it traverses from the mid-center up toward the left:

I love the hat, but I am not as enamored of my joining efforts and while ruminating over this dissatisfaction, I recalled that at some point I had made a hat that was also not worked in a spiral, but which did not have a join that was so glaring.

After much thinking, I was pretty sure I remembered how it was done, and tested it out on my third stash-busters effort.

Using Jenna Wingate’s brilliant pattern and a palette of the best and brightest Red Heart Super Saver colors in my stash, I got to work.

Here is an overview of my progress at the end of the end of the day:

The joining (while still visible) is not as pronounced as it was in my previous effort.

Here is how I did it.

After finishing the last stitch of the current round:

I inserted the hook through both loops of the first stitch of the same round, and grabbed the color I would be using in the the new round:

then pulled it through to the front, as if completing a slip stitch:

Next, I made one chain with the new color:

then yarned over in the new color (in preparation make an hdc), and inserted the hook into the second stitch of the previous round.

Then, I completed the first hdc of the new round in the second hdc of the previous round:

I’m going to have a lot of opportunity to practice and perfect this technique, as a cousin of mine getting together gifts for a family that needs help during these holidays, and I asked if I could help with her effort. She said yes, and I want to make sure that I give the people who will be receiving these hats my very best work.

Too often what is given as charity is the stuff in our lives that we no longer want or have use for.

A real present is when we offer that best that we have to give, and I am bound and determined to make these hats something that anyone would like to have.