Milanese Lace Topper

I've started an OWL (Ordinary Wizarding Level, for you non-Potter people) in the HP Knitting and Crochet House Cup, in which I plan to make 8 hats in 3 months. I haven't taken on something of this magnitude yet, so I'm excited for the challenge.

I decided to start with one of the more difficult hats I plan on making. It is a beautiful hat called Milanese Lace Topper. I'm making it using Knit Picks' Wool of the Andes yarn in a beautiful teal color called Calypso Heather. Unfortunately, the wool is irritating my hands and wrists like crazy. I have a feeling that I won't be wearing this hat any time in the future.

I also am angry at both the pattern and myself at the moment. I decided to go against my better instincts and go with the pattern for the brim, which is one row of k1p1 ribbing and 13 rows of stockinette. And guess what? It rolls up like a b$%&! So that was irritating me, the yarn made it worse, and then I spaced out somewhere near the end of the second pattern repeat and now one side looks like a mess. This hat is determined to fail spectacularly in every way...

The good side