Ruffled Crochet Hat For Melly

Melly has a new hat. It's really a beanie like the one I made Neve here. Except for Melly's hat, I added ruffles. She has long hair and I think it she looks odd with a beanie.

I made this hat very fitted. So much so that each time I remove the hat, I mess up Melly's hair.

I'm wondering how other people crochet a ring. I know of 3 methods of starting a ring.
Method 1. Make 4 chain stitches. Slip stitch into last chain stitch from hook. Work into hole of ring.
Method 2. Work all stitches into first chain made.
Method 3. Magic loop.

I usually use method 2 because I like the hole in the center to be small. I don't use the magic loop because I can never remember how it's done. It's like rocket science!

I used the spiral method to make the rounds. I used single crochet (US) throughout. Once I had the right amount of height, I made the ruffles by making 3 single crochet in every stich. In the next round, I made 2 single crochet in every stitch.

Do you have any secret recipe for a perfect circle?

This is the method I use. I think it's a commonly used method. It is by no means perfect.
R1: Make ring of 6 sc - 6 sts
R2: Make 2 sc into each st around -12 sts
R3: (Make sc in next st, 2 sc in next st) around -18 sts
R4: (Make sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st) around - 24 sts
R5: (Make sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st) around - 30 sts
R6: (Make sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st) around - 36 sts

Usually when I hit R6, my "perfect circle" starts to look a little like a hexagon. So what I do is I abandon the "formula" and I scatter my 6 extra stitches "equally". I really just eyeball it and avoid increasing in places when I see the peaks of the hexagon. If anyone has a better method, please share with me.

If you're wondering what Melly and my wooden mannequin are doing above, they are moonwalking. Isn't that obvious?

Crochet is a lot of hard work and mathematics. Would crocheting a doll's outfit be too much work? Stay tuned.

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