models:Alexandra Tinsley, Travis Schuster, Aaron Smith photos: Travis Schuster, Aaron Smith Thanks to Abundant Yarn and Dyeworks in Portland, OR, for letting us take photos in their store.

The colors of this yarn reminded me of a set of beautiful topographical maps that used to hang in my house. I set out to recreate the feel of those maps by covering this hat with a random, color-dictated relief.

The beauty of this technique is that, besides being ridiculously easy, it works with any two-colored yarn in virtually any sort of project to add simple, interesting texture. The yarn itself and the way it was dyed dictate what your finished project will look like: whether or not the pattern will be regular or very random, stripe-y or blotchy, sparsely textured or lumpy all over. It's exciting to give up control and let the yarn lead the way...and for once you can welcome pooling!

The hat itself features box-like decreases to avoid interrupting the pattern too much, and is just a touch slouchy (which is perfect for me, but you can make it longer or shorter to accentuate or eliminate that look.) Tailor your colors to your audience and you've got a great unisex hat that works at any age.

You can easily substitute any two-color worsted weight yarn (handpainted is ideal), and simply designate one color as the Main Color and the other as the Contrasting Color. The CC should be the less prevalent color, and be aware that different color spacing and proportions may leave you with a very different looking hat. The yarn in the smaller hat is almost entirely green, with just tiny spatters of reddish brown.  The larger hat was worked in a yarn that is mostly blackish-gray, with small white patches. The white patches in the charcoal yarn are bigger than the brown ones in the green yarn, and you can see how the texture of the end product differs. 

Topographie Pattern:
Work in stockinette st, except: When the next st on the left needle is a CC st, purl it instead of knitting it. (Be careful at color changes - sometimes a stitch looks like it will be one color, but ends up looking like the other color once it's worked. Be prepared to undo a stitch occasionally and rework it.)

ssp: Slip next 2 sts knitwise, one at a time, to right needle. Slip them both, purlwise, back to left needle. Purl them together through their back loops.

2x2 Rib (Worked in the round over a multiple of 4 sts):
All Rounds: [K2, p2] to end.

I-Cord
Using a double-point needle, pick up and k required number of sts.
Next Row: Instead of turning work around to work back on the WS, slide all sts to other end of needle, switch needle back to your left hand, bring yarn around back of work, and start knitting the sts again. I-Cord is worked with the RS facing at all times.
Repeat this row to form I-cord. After a few rows, work will begin to form a tube.